Rai's Moving Castle
by Glowworm666
Summary: Renee has been turned into an old woman by the witch Wuya. Along with her friends, she goes on a journey to find the only person how can help her, the eccentric wizard Raimundo. Rai/Renee, Harima/Yakumo COMPLETE
1. A Moving Castle

**GW: **This is my new fic, based on 'Howl's Moving Castle,' _Rai's Moving Castle_! Starring Raimundo and Renee!

**Rai: **Alright, I'm probably you're most favorite character in stories.

**Katrina: **Don't become such an egotist! Plus, you get to meet me, Deni, and Willow as well. Enjoy the first chapter!

**Official Disclaimer: **I do not own the storyline or the characters except for my own. Flames will be ignored.

* * *

**A Moving Castle**

Across a barren landscape, fog had surrounded the area and nothing appeared to be even the least bit animate…that was until a clanking could be heard coming closer.

As the fog cleared, a giant house-object came clanking onward. It had steel legs and looked like it had been combined from many parts of metal and the like.

As it made its way our of the barren scene and onto greener and more lively landscape, a shepherd named Rolf was herding his cows, sheep, and pig Wilfred when he saw the mechanical thing clank by.

"Oh, ho! Look Wilfred," Rolf said to his pig. "It's Raimundo-boy's moving castle. Hello, Rolf the Son of the Shepherd greets you!" Rolf waved to the moving castle not caring if they saw him or not. "Come, Wilfred and livestock, Nana needs her bunions looked after."

* * *

Meanwhile, somewhere in the green and beautiful landscape was a small town with a giant train passing by through it as people walked to and fro.

And, specifically, in a small workroom in a hat shop, five teenagers were sitting, mending hats.

The first was a young woman with long purple hair, dark blue eyes, and was wearing a white shirt under black jacket, black pants, and brown shoes. She was Renee Roberts.

The second was a 15-year old with black hair, reddish-brown eyes, and wearing a light blue sweater, brown capris, and matching clogs. She was Yakumo Tsukamoto.

The third was a 13-year old with long chocolate brown hair in a ponytail, sky blue eyes with green specks, and wearing a white Tee with sky blue cuffs and yellow star in middle, light blue jeans, white sneakers, and a silver bracelet with charms. She was Katrina Glove.

The fourth was a teen Katrina's age with short, spiky black hair, green eyes, and wearing a swampy green top with a shiny flower on it, a long green skirt, brown sandals, an elaborate bead necklace, and a black wristwatch, and a matching arm wrap that hid her horribly burned left arm. She was Deni Rein.

The last was a 15-year old with strawberry blond hair with two smaller strands in pale rose ribbons, large brown eyes, and wearing a pale rose oversized hoodie with black streaks on the side, knee-high white boots with black pattern on side, and a topaz stone on a silver chain. This was Willow Song.

The five girls, who were obviously employees at the hat-making shop, were busy at work making hats. Well, at least Renee, Yakumo, Deni, and Willow were while Kat slacked off.

"Come on, you three; I wanna go home!" Katrina whined. "Katrina, you should respect the duty of making wicked awesome hats a lot more," Deni retorted to her friend as she held up her Goth-inspired hat while the other three kept working on their hats.

"Deni?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up."

"You guys should be nicer to one another," Willow sighed as she finished tying a pink ribbon to her pretty hat. "You humans are always fighting nowadays."

"I'm done," Yakumo remarked softly as she held up her dark blue hat with a peacock feather decorating it. "Are you almost finished, Renee?"

"Just about," Renee said as she sewed some pinecones and leaved to the hat.

Just then, the owner of the shop, Yukari Tanizaki, came in and said, "Girls, are you done yet?"

"Yep, Renee's just finishing up," Katrina replied. "Well, we're closing shop. You've done enough work, so you can come hang out with the rest of us." When Yukari meant 'the rest of us,' she meant the other workers, Sam, Clover, and Alex. They usually went to hang out after work, and even invited Renee and her friends, too.

"No, I better finish this; you guys go out and have fun," Renee politely declined. Being shy, she didn't really like going out in public that much. Her friends, being soft-spoken as well, also declined except for Deni and Katrina, who didn't go just because their friends didn't.

"Alright; suit yourselves," Yukari shrugged as she prepared to leave. "Let's go, ladies."

As the girls prepared to leave, Clover shouted, "Look; it's Raimundo's moving castle!"

"Where!?" Alex squealed as Sam shouted, "I want to see Rai!" Rai, the one with the moving castle, was popular among town apparently and was especially popular with the ladies.

Renee and her pals looked out the window to see the moving architect moving across the field and disappearing into the fog ahead.

"I wish to meet him someday," Willow said. "I heard he is greatly skilled in the art of magic."

"I wonder if he's still single," Deni smirked. "Like he'd ever date you," Kat joked, getting socked in the arm.

Renee, however, just stared dreamily as planes flew by where the castle was. "He's hiding from those planes," Yakumo said. "I can't imagine having to hide from the military all the time."

"I heard that this girl from the neighboring town had her heart torn out by Rai," Clover said. "Now, I'm scared to go out," Alex said in annoyance. "Thanks a lot, Clover!"

"You have nothing to fear, Alex," Sam said before laughing, "He only preys on pretty girls."

"You guys are mean!" Alex pouted as Yukari said, "Let's go, girls." With that, the three workers and Yukari left the store and Renee and her company.

"Prissy poodles," Deni mumbled as Renee kept working. "Remind me to beat them the next time I see them."

"This is why you have no boyfriend," Yakumo joked.

As Renee finally finished her hat she had been working on, the train came into port, filling the window with smoke from its steam pipe.

"Finally, let's get out of here," Kat yawned as the girls got from their chairs and walked out of the room. Before going outside, Renee picked up a nice sun hat with a red ribbon decorating it, putting it on, and smiling in front of the mirror. She then frowned. Although she was pretty, she didn't have a lot of confidence in herself, no matter how many times her friends told her.

"Alright, lock up time," Kat said as Yakumo locked the shop up and the girls walked outside in the busy streets.

Spotting a tram nearby, the girls hopped on and rode through the town, which seemed to be celebrating something.

* * *

**GW: **And there's the first chapter! The next time, Rai and his pals will come in and meet Renee and her crew. Read, review, and suggest please.


	2. The Eccentric Wizard

**GW: **Here's chapter 2 of 'Rai's Moving Castle!' This is where the girls meet Rai and Harima! Enjoy!

* * *

**The Eccentric Wizard**

As the girls were riding the tram, they managed to witness a party going on downtown. It appeared that soldiers were coming home from a war, which is why planes were flying overhead.

Tanks streamed into the town as people cheered for marching soldiers parading down the street.

Renee and her friends got off the tram and walked through an alley, spotting a lone soldier guarding supplies.

"Oops, sorry to disturb you, dude," Kat saluted as the five raced off. "Weird kids," the soldier shrugged as he resumed guarding.

As the girls stopped at an alleyway as the parade carried on outside, Yakumo turned to Renee and asked, "You do remember where Zoey's place is, right?"

Renee nodded pulling out a piece of paper. She used to be friends with four other girls, but they split and went their separate ways. Zoey and Renee remained in the town and still remained friends, though they were estranged when Zoey became popular when she joined the local bakery.

"These human celebrations are so loud and joyous," Willow breathed in amazement. Being from another world, she didn't know about human life.

"Yeah, you get used to the screaming, drunken stupor after awhile," Deni shrugged as the girls followed Renee down the alley some more.

As they kept walking, Renee didn't notice the young man blocking her way. He had blond hair and was wearing a military uniform. This was Chad Dixon, one of the soldiers that had returned home and separated from the party.

"Hey, looks like a little mouse lost her way," Chad said, trying to flirt with Renee.

"Oh, I'm not lost," Renee said awkwardly. "So, butt out dude!" Kat snapped, eyes widening when she saw another soldier come forward. He also had blond hair, blue eyes, and wore a red football jersey over his uniform. This was Dash Baxter.

"She and her little mouse friends look thirsty. Maybe we should take them for some tea," Chad continued, also checking out Renee's friends.

"I'm sorry, but a friend is expecting us," Yakumo said softly yet firmly. "Please, move aside," Willow said coldly, she and Deni getting ready to go Esper and Demon form if they had to.

"They're pretty cute for a couple of mice," Dash chuckled, looking at Yakumo and Willow. "Even the pipsqueaks are cute."

"Pipsqueaks!?" Kat growled, hating to be called that due to be two years younger than her friends. Deni had to hold the girl back to prevent her from jumping at the boys.

"How old are you girls? Do you come here often?" Chad asked.

"Leave us alone," Renee snapped. "Look, Dash, you're face frightens all the girls," Chad joked.

"So, I think they're cuter when they're scared," Dash sneered. Before the two boys continued harassing the girls, a smooth voice said, "Ah, they're you are sweet-heart."

The girls looked to see a cute Brazilian teen come up and put his arm around a nervous-looking Renee. He had dark brown hair, green eyes, and he wore a grey sweatshirt, pale jeans, and red and white sneakers with a gold medallion around his neck. This was the boy who talked.

With him was a teen who had black hair, a beard, and a thin mustache, eyes hidden by sunglasses, and wearing a black jacket over a white shirt, jeans, and boots. He came to Yakumo and stood next to her protectively, taking her by surprise a bit.

"I'm sorry I'm so late. My pal Harima got us lost, and I looked everywhere for you," the Brazilian teen 'explained' to Renee. The other boy, Harima, nodded, "I'm…horrible at directions."

"Hey, jerk," Chad growled. "We're busy here."

"Really? It looked to me like you guys were just leaving," the boy said before he flicked his index finger. This made Chad and Dash stand up straight. With a twirl of the finger, both boys walked around the girls and two guys in the way Renee came.

"Don't hold it against them," the Brazilian teen told Renee. "They're not that bad."

"Yeah, just idiots," Harima shrugged.

"Where to? Harima and I will escort you this evening," the boy smiled.

Renee faltered a bit, it wasn't everyday a handsome guy came to you and wanted to escort you somewhere. Even Kat and Deni and the rest of her friends were too shocked to say anything.

"Oh, um…we're just going to the baker's," Renee stammered a bit.

"Don't be alarmed if I'm being followed," the boy explained as he took Renee's hand. "Just act normal."

As they started to walk off, Harima took Yakumo's hand, making her blush slightly, as he told the girls, "Just follow our lead."

As the group started to walk, a bunch of weird rock golems came out of nowhere and started to follow them. "Sorry, it appears you're involved now," the boy told Renee.

"I feel…an unnatural presence," Willow whispered. Deni, also being sensitive to the unknown, nodded. "I'm too afraid to look behind me," she gulped.

The girls gasped when they saw more of the rock golems appearing in front of them. "This way," the boy said as he hurried Renee down another alley and took off in a run, with golems close behind. Harima, still holding Yakumo's hand with Kat, Deni, and Willow keeping close, also hurried with his friend.

As they were close to the end, rock golems were in front of them and behind them. "This isn't good!" Kat yelled.

"Hang on," the Brazilian teen told them as he grabbed Renee while Harima grabbed the four others. When the rock golems were almost upon them, the two teenaged boys jumped into the air and flew straight up.

"Whoa!" the girls yelped a bit as Harima told them, "Now just straighten out your legs and walk."

The girls, though hesitantly, began walking and soon enough they were walking above town.

"See? It's not so bad once you get used to it," Harima said to a smiling Yakumo. Kat, however, wasn't enjoying herself. "Uh, remind me to get wolfie for this," she groaned as she held onto Harima for dear life while Deni and Willow, who held onto Kat, laughed at their friend's expense.

"You're a natural," the boy told Renee, who smiled softly at him as they kept walking.

As the party took down below, no one noticed the kids walking through the air. A kangaroo joey Rudy perked his ears and turned to his mother, saying, "Mom, I think I feel a magical presence around here." His mother, Sour Kangaroo, just scoffed, "Oh, please, Rudy. None of that nonsense for you. Get back in your room now." Rudy just sighed as he nestled into his mother's pocket again.

The teens finally landed on the balcony of the bakery as Harima and his friend landed on the railing.

"We'll be sure to draw them away from you," the boy said to Renee. "But wait a bit before heading outside," Harima added.

"Alright," Renee smiled as she let go of his hand. "That's my girl," he told her as he and Harima jumped off the railing.

"Wait!" Yakumo gasped as the girls looked below, only to see dancing and laughing people.

* * *

Inside, the bakery, people were busy ordering food as a young girl catered to them. She had short red hair, chocolate brown eyes, and wearing a pink dress, shoes, and gloves. This must have been Zoey Hanson, one of Renee's teammates from the Mews. She was the only one left in town, besides Renee, and she worked at the bakery.

"Can I have some cookies?" a customer asked. She got the box out and handed it to him, "There you are, enjoy!"

Just then, one of the employees Namine came to Zoey and whispered something in her ear.

Zoey gasped in surprise, "What!?" She then ran from behind the counter and out of the room. Climbing up the stairs, she saw Renee and her friends waiting, looking dumbfounded at what happened.

"Renee!" Zoey called as she came to her friend. "Zoey," Renee greeted.

"Are you okay? Someone told me you just floated onto the balcony."

"So, it did happen," Renee whispered to herself. "It wasn't a dream."

"Come on, let's talk in private," Zoey told her friend.

* * *

The girls were now in the storage room where only a few workers were working.

"Wow, he must've been a wizard," Zoey said. Renee had told Zoey what happened that day. "And his friend must've been one as well."

"He was so kind to me," Renee said. "You saved me and the others."

"Only because he wanted to steal your heart!" Zoey exclaimed in a worried voice. "You're really lucky, if that was Raimundo, he would've eaten it."

"…He only does that to pretty girls," Renee mumbled. Zoey sighed in exasperation. "Don't try to tell her she'd pretty. We tell her all the time, but, she doesn't listen," Deni griped.

"You guys need to be more careful, it's dangerous out there," Zoey chastised them. "Even Wuya is back on the prowl."

"Don't think we don't know of the dangers of the world, Zoey," Willow told the girl sternly. Zoey glared at the Esper, but stopped when she saw the dazed off looks in Renee and Yakumo's faces. "Are you guys listening to me?" Zoey asked them.

"They're probably thinking about those two knight-in-shining armor," Katrina giggled, making both girls look away in embarrassment.

Just then, a boy with cat-like features stuck his head through one of the boxes and said cheerfully, "Zoey, the éclairs are done."

"Okay, thanks Odd," Zoey nodded to him as he disappeared again.

Renee got up and sighed, "Well, better get going. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

Renee and her pals walked outside with Zoey following behind. A boy named Ulrich walked into the gates of the bakery, greeting, "Hi, Zoey."

"Hello," Zoey greeted back as she turned to Renee and said, "Now, Renee; do you really want to spend the rest of your life working for that annoying Yukari woman in that hat-shop?"

Renee hesitated as her friends looked at her. The former Mew smiled and replied, "Sure, Yukari isn't that bad once you get used to her and I don't mind working there at all."

"But, are you sure this is what you want to do?" Zoey asked her friend. "All the Mews got to be what they wanted, but I don't think you chose the thing you want to do at all."

"Well…" Renee started, but was interrupted when Ulrich came out and said, "See you later, Zoey."

"Okay, good evening," Zoey smiled at him. Renee internally sighed as she said, "I better be going home now." As she walked away, Zoey called, "It's your life, Renee. Do something about it!"

"By, Zoey," Renee merely said. Zoey looked at Yakumo, Kat, Deni, and Willow, saying to them, "Please try and talk to her, you guys."

"Trust me, Zoey," Yakumo said as they began to go after their friend. "We talk to her everyday about it."

As the five girls started to make their way back, they were unaware of an eye-sore of a carriage that was being held up by two suspicious-looking fellows. The door of the carriage opened and a hook came out, dropping a little bottle on the ground. The person holding the cane tapped on the lid as the rock golems from earlier, now miniature, came swarming back into the bottle.

When all the golems were inside, the hook grabbed the bottle and drew it back in, closing the door. With a tap from inside, the weird-looking fellows, lifted the carriage and started to carry it away.

* * *

**Rai:** Alright, I just came into the picture!

**GW: **They aren't supposed to know that, Rai!

**Willow: **Looks like we're going home, but who is this mysterious person in the carriage and what does the person have to do with the golems? Read, review, and suggest until next time.


	3. The Witch's Curse

**GW: **Welcome to the third chapter, where an evil witch is going to pay Renee and her friends a visit…

**Deni: **Oh, this'll be bad…

* * *

**The Witch's Curse**

As the group of friends were traveling back home, Renee and Yakumo were staring at the city vaguely, thinking about the two boys, Harima and the other one. Renee wished she knew his name.

"Oh, brother! Just one meeting with some guys and you two think they proposed!" Katrina scoffed in disbelief.

"Besides, they were obviously wizards," Willow said gently to her friends. "You couldn't be with them even if you wanted to."

"Who said anything about that?" Renee said defensively. "I was just amazed by what they did, that's all."

"That goes for me, too," Yakumo added. "Oh, sure," Deni smirked slyly. "Whatever you girls say."

Later that night, the five walked back to the hat shop. "I wish we lived somewhere else instead of this dinky little shop, like Barbados," Kat whined.

"Whining doesn't fix the situation," Deni retorted to her friend as Yakumo unlocked the door and the girls went in.

Making sure to lock it again, Renee lit a candle and set her hat down on the table as she said to her friends, "I'm tired after today. Hope Yukari doesn't try and wake me-"

Renee was interrupted as a woman entered the shop. She had long red hair that curled down at the ends, green eyes with what looked like Goth mascara lining her eyes, tanned skin, and wearing a black dress that looked shredded at the end and a purple sash around it.

"I'm sorry, ma'am," Renee told the mysterious woman politely. "The shop's closed."

"I thought I locked that door," Yakumo said suspiciously while Willow, Deni, and Kat looked uneasy. Willow and Deni were uneasy because they sensed something about this woman and Kat because of her sixth sense about people.

"What a tacky little shop," the woman sneered as she looked around. "I've never seen hats more tacky in my life." She then looked at Renee and said snidely to her, "Yet you by far are the tackiest thing here."

"You old hag! Who asked you!?" Kat growled under her breath as Renee glared. She and her friends walked to the door as Renee held it open, saying firmly, "I'm afraid you have to leave now."

"The door's right over here," Deni glared. "Please leave."

The woman merely smirked as she said to the girls, "Standing up to Wuya, huh? Very plucky…and incredibly stupid."

"Wuya!?" Renee gasped. "I knew there was something wrong," Willow breathed in as the girls tried escaping, only to be blocked off by rock golems.

Before they knew it, Wuya was flying straight towards them and, before they could act, Wuya went right through them! The girls were in fetal positions as Wuya smirked at them, chuckling darkly, "The best thing about that spell is that neither of you can tell anyone about it but yourselves. My regards to Raimundo."

With that, Wuya the Witch left with her stone golems in the carriage she was riding in earlier that day.

As soon as they left, Renee, still in her fetal position looked up and gasped at what she saw. It was Yakumo, Kat, Deni, and Willow…as animals! Yakumo was now a black wolf with the same reddish-brown eyes.

Katrina was now a chocolate brown swallow with a white belly with the same eye color. She also had a brown plumage on her head, the charm bracelet around her leg, and a yellow star in the middle of her chest.

Deni was now a medium-sized dog with black fur, same green eyes, and her arm wrap still over her left paw with the bead necklace around her neck and the black wristwatch on her other front paw.

And Willow was a strawberry blond cat with her ribbons that were formerly around two strands of hair around her ears, her same brown eyes, and her necklace around her neck.

"I feel weird," Deni groaned as she scratched her head, but to her horror she saw that it was a paw. "AHH! WHAT THE HECK!?"

"We must've been cursed by that witch Wuya," Willow said solemnly. "Okay, now I REALLY hate evil witches," Katrina groaned in annoyance.

"Guys, look at you," Renee said in despair, but gasped when she realized her voice had become raspy. "Look at us? You better look at yourself, Renee," Yakumo said in horror.

Renee looked down to see that her hands were old and wrinkly. She hustled as fast as she could to the mirror, but gasped when she saw herself. She was now an old woman, with silver hair, a few wrinkles lining her face, and her purple eyes were suddenly wider that usual. She couldn't even recognize herself.

"It's ironic that I became the animal that you previously were," Yakumo said, trying to lighten the situation. Renee didn't seem to hear her as she croaked, "That's really me isn't it!?"

"Well, we see you, Renee," Kat chirped as Deni swatted her friend. "I've got to stay calm," Renee said frantically as she paced to the other side of the room. But when she came back to the mirror, she stifled a scream as she saw herself as the old woman.

"I've got to stay calm!" Renee said desperately. "You're not really acting calm, Renee," Willow said as she and her now turned animal friends followed the now old lady outside.

"This is just a bad dream, Renee," Renee told herself frantically. "Just go to bed. Only a dream."

"Renee…I don't think it's a dream," Deni whimpered his panic. "We…we just need to stay calm," Renee sighed as she and her friends went back inside, frightened out of their wits.

* * *

The next morning, Yukari came back from shopping and boy did she go to town. As she came in, she greeted to the employees, "I'm back, everyone!"

"Welcome home, Miss Tanizaki," Sam greeted as Clover squealed, "Oh, you look so good."

"Thank you," Yukari smiled proudly, but stopped as she looked around. "Where are Renee and her little group?"

"They haven't come down yet," Alex said as she took Yukari's bags. "That's odd," Yukari mumbled as she walked upstairs to Renee's room.

"Renee? Yakumo, Willow? The two annoying girls?" Yukari said warily as she knocked on the door.

Renee, who was curled up, mumbled, "Don't come in here." "We all have bad colds," Deni murmured, but to Yukari, it was barking.

"Is that a dog in there?" she asked. "No, I was coughing," Renee coughed, as the animal friends looked mortified that they couldn't speak English to anyone else except Renee. "Please, the others are sleeping peacefully, so don't come in. I-I wouldn't want you to catch it."

"You sound terrible, Renee!" Yukari said, surprised that some of her best workers were sick. "Like a 90-year old woman." Little did Tanizaki-sensei know how right she was.

"We'll stay in bed all day, so just leave us alone to rest," Renee said. "Okay…If you insist," Yukari shrugged as she turned and left.

When she was sure Yukari left, Renee got out of bed along with her four friends and looked in the mirror at herself.

"It's not so bad," Renee smiled, assuring herself. "I'm still healthy and in good shape. And my clothes finally suit me."

"And being animals isn't all that bad," Kat chirped as she pecked at Deni's head. "I think it's an improvement."

"Watch it," Deni growled threateningly. "But we can't stay like this forever," Willow told her friends seriously. Renee nodded and, after hearing voices downstairs, she sighed, "Plus, we can't stay here like this either."

"I think you know what we have to do," Yakumo said softly to her friend, who nodded.

Later, when everyone in the shop was out, Renee and her animal friends worked quickly and packed to leave. As Renee was walking down the hallway, her back cracked as she muttered, "Being old is worse than I thought."

Renee packed a lot of food for herself and her companions as the four animals watched.

As the girls snuck outside, a group of men were talking nearby. One of them, Manny Rivera, said, "They say their prince is missing."

"And they're blaming it on us," one of the men, Allen Walker, sighed.

"Unbelievable!" the third man, Cloud Strife, said in disgust. "Yeah, and they say they're going to start a war," Manny exclaimed.

"No one wants to be in a war," Allen said. "Let's hope the prince turns up soon," Cloud grumbled.

"I believe that conversation might be a potential plot twist later to come," Deni said to the readers as the girls kept moving onward.

* * *

As they crossed the bridge, the train came rolling by with the black smoke clouding their faces. Renee hacked as a young man, Sora, asked in concern, "Do you need some help, ma'am?"

"No thank you, I have my animals to help me," Renee said courteously. "Such good manners," Willow commented, though it came out as meowing to Sora, who was shocked to see four animals with the old woman, but shrugged and went on his way.

When they reached town, Renee asked a man, Homer Simpson, who was at the front seat of a cart, if she could ride on his cart.

"Sure, there's room in the back," Homer said friendly until adding darkly, "But you have to pay."

"Homer!" his wife, Marge scolded him. She added to the woman and animals kindly, "You can ride with us, free of charge. Where are you heading?"

"Just as far as you're going, thank you," Renee told the blue-haired woman as she and her friends hopped onto the back with Katrina flying next to them. "Hey, I could really get used to this," Kat smiled, sounding like chirping to Marge and Homer.

"Stupid free-loading hippies…" Homer mumbled as he started up the cart and drove out of the town.

* * *

As soon as the Simpson's got to the outskirts of town, Renee and her friends took off to the mountainous region of their world. Also known as the Waste, a dangerous and foreboding place where all the magical things resided.

"You're crazy to do this, granny!" Homer and Marge's oldest, Bart, called to them. "There's nothing but witches and wizards out there!" the middle child, Lisa, added in a worried tone.

"It's okay; we'll be fine," Renee said tiredly. "I can't believe she's going to the Waste by herself with only a few animals with her," Marge said in concern.

"Heck, why should I care? She says she's visiting her sister," Homer said without any concern at all as he untied his donkey from the cart, who merely kicked him in the gut as the Simpson man fell to the ground. "D'oh!" he cried in pain as Bart laughed and Marge, Lisa, and the baby, Maggie, slapped their foreheads.

The girls continued making their journey up the mountains with the gang getting tired. Katrina was fine as she rested on Yakumo's head. "Ah, this is the life, huh, guys?" Katrina said, being a bit mean to her tired friends, who glared at her.

"Let's rest," Renee sighed as they sat down on the lush green grass. Renee broke out the cheese and bread she packed and laid some down for her friends to eat while she nibbled on some herself.

"I'll never get there with these legs," Renee sighed dismally.

"Good thing your teeth haven't been worn-out yet," Yakumo noted as she grinned a toothy grin. Just then, something caught Renee's wide eye in a bush. It appeared to be a giant stick.

"That would make a good walking stick for me," Renee mused as she got up and went over to it, trying to pull it out. It was a stubborn stick, for it stayed put in the bush.

"Come on; let's help Granny out," Deni sighed as the animals got up and started to pull on the stick harder. "You…won't get the best of this old lady," Renee grunted as she and her friends tugged harder when finally the stick came out.

But, to the shock of the group, it was a scarecrow. He had messy straw-hair and was wearing a green coat over a white shirt, grey worn-out trousers, and he had a turnip for a head.

"Just a scarecrow," Renee smiled a bit nervously. "An ugly one, for that matter," Kat muttered to her friends.

"How come you can stand on your own like that?" Yakumo asked curiously. It was true: the scarecrow was standing on its own, oddly enough. Of course the scarecrow said nothing.

"Your head's a turnip," Renee said in disgust. "I've always hated turnips, ever since I was little."

"Well, at least he isn't upside-down now," Willow said politely. "I can't believe we're talking to a scarecrow with a turnip for a head," Deni groaned.

"See ya,' Turniphead," Katrina waved at the scarecrow, who she nicknamed Turniphead, as she and the others turned away and continued their journey.

As they continued climbing, the temperature dropped as Yakumo had to raise her voice over the pounding winds, "It's too cloud! And we can still see the town from here!"

"Great, 'Frozen Granny & Animals Found in Waste,' I can just see it now in the papers," Katrina chattered as she hugged to Deni's fur for warmth.

As she glanced back to see the town, Renee stopped when she saw a peculiar sight: it was Turniphead, bouncing along behind them.

"…That's something you don't see everyday," Willow commented as Kat groaned, "Great, Turniphead's become attached to us!"

"Go away, quit following us!" Renee said, trying to shoo the scarecrow away. "There's no need to thank us, really! You don't owe anything to us!"

Turniphead stopped as Renee continued, "I'm pretty positive you have a spell on you and I'm pretty fed up with witches and spells by now."

"So go find a nice field and stand in it," Deni said, not caring if the scarecrow only heard her bark and the group kept going. This didn't stop Turniphead as he kept following them.

As he went in front of them, he threw down something he was carrying on his arm in front of Renee. It turned out to be a cane for the old woman.

"Thank you, this cane is perfect," Renee smiled at the Turniphead as she grasped onto the cane. "I don't suppose you can find us somewhere to sleep for tonight?"

Turniphead paused before he bounced down to find a place to stay. Renee waved as Yakumo asked her friend, "You just tricked him so we could ditch him, didn't you?"

"It seems I've become more cunning in my own age," she chuckled before she, with the help of her new cane, continued her trek up the mountain.

Just then, a battleship was seen overhead as the sky darkened, catching the girls off guard.

"That battleship doesn't look very welcoming," Yakumo murmured softly before the girls had to shield themselves when a gust of cloud wind blowed at them.

"Why do you get so cold when you're old?" Renee grumbled as they trekked on, more slowly this time. "Now I know why hunters want wolf fur in the first place," Yakumo muttered as Willow, Deni, and Katrina came closer to Yakumo for warmth.

Needing a rest, Renee sat down and took some deep breaths. At that moment, Yakumo and Deni, with their powerful new noses, sniffed the air as Deni noted, "I smell sulfur in the air."

"That means someone has a fire going," Renee realized. "Maybe a cabin's nearby." With that, Renee got up and moved towards the smell of the fire.

But, before they could make it up the mountain, the girls' mouths went wide open as they saw something coming right at them. It was Rai's castle, clunking its way towards them. Coming at them as well, was Turniphead.

"When you said you were getting shelter, you weren't kidding," Willow said in amazement.

"That's not exactly what we had in mind, Turniphead," Renee told the scarecrow. "This is Rai's castle, you know!"

As the castle came to a stop, Katrina scoffed, "They call this hunk of junk a castle! Not what I had in mind of castles."

The castle then began to move again, startling the girls for a second when Renee spotted a door in the back of the thing. Turniphead bounced to the door, pointing at it with his arm.

"We're supposed to enter through there?" Renee said incredulously as she and her friends hurried along to catch the already leaving home.

"Slow down!" Yakumo barked. "For Heaven's sake!"

When Renee grabbed onto the railing and her friends, all riding on Yakumo's back, grabbed onto the railing with Yakumo using her teeth, Renee shouted to the machine, "Are you letting us in or not?"

As if to answer, the house jerked forward and scooped the girls up, making them yelp a bit in surprise. "Well, what a rude house," Willow snapped, making Deni and Kat looked at her oddly with Kat remarking, "You do realize what your saying right?"

Opening the door, Renee and the gang peeked in to see a staircase in front of them. Looking back, she saw Turniphead just bouncing away.

"It's nice and warm in there, so, powerful wizard or not, I'm going in," she told him. "Thank you for all your help. I'm sure Raimundo won't eat the heart of an old woman like me or the hearts of animals."

Turniphead then began to fall behind as Renee called to it, "Its been a pleasure meeting you, even if you are my least favorite vegetable."

"Fine, he's gone; let's just get in!" Kat griped as the girls entered the room, with Renee closing the door behind her.

* * *

**GW: **Oh, no! Renee and the gang have been turned into animals! I decided to make Renee an old woman instead and gave the wolf form to Yakumo, since someone has to communicate with others. Next time, we'll meet the one playing Howl's fire demon, Calcifur!

**Wuya: **Read and review until next time.


	4. Meeting the Residents

**GW: **Hooray, another chapter is here! This is where Renee and her animal friends meet some of the residents of the castle. Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Meeting the Residents**

Inside the castle, Renee and her friends finally made it up the stairs and peered over them to scout out the area.

"All's clear," Kat said, flitting about. "All I see is a comfy chair in front of a roaring fire."

"Finally, a place to rest," Renee said tiredly as she moved up the rest of the stairs and towards the chair where she plunked herself down in it. Yakumo and Deni rested besides her, Willow sat on Renee's lap, And Kat rested on the handle of the chair.

"The fire's a bit low," Yakumo noted as the oddly green fire was dimly lit. Getting up a bit painfully, Renee threw some logs onto the fire, making it burn brighter before sitting down again.

"Does anyone notice this fire is green?" Deni deadpanned, but shrugged as she lay down again.

"This place is such a dump, even for a wizard," Willow yawned as she climbed back up on Renee's lap. Looking around, Renee could spot dirty dishes and silverware, books laying everywhere, and what not. "I wouldn't think of this place as a castle," Renee sighed as she started to close her eyes drowsily. "Well, another good thing about being old is that nothing frightens you," Renee chuckled softly.

A moment she said that, the fire suddenly took the form of a duck with his eyes staring at the newcomers, he was wearing a black jacket over a white shirt, a red bowtie, and a collar. But his outfit, like his black hair, was fire as he stared at the group.

"I don't envy you, lady," the fire duck said, startling the girls. "That is one nasty curse. You're going to have trouble getting rid of that one."

"The fire…is talking?" Renee gasped in disbelief. "And it's a duck?" Willow, Yakumo, and Deni said, licking their chops at how good that duck looked right now.

"The Master speaks truly," a deep and slow voice added in agreement as another voice said, "Oh, poor dears. And they can't tell anyone about it."

Renee turned to see a hunch-backed vulture wearing a butler uniform and a large hen with her arm in a sling came towards the duck fire.

"Well, they can understand us," Kat said, lightening this peculiar situation.

"Are you Raimundo?" Renee asked the fire duck. "Certainly not!" the vulture snapped indignantly as the duck fire stated, "I am Count Duckula, a fearsome vampire…or I was until a scheme of my friend Igor's to get me to be more vampire-like malfunctioned and I now work for Rai as a fire demon."

"And I'm his nanny, Nanny," the hen, Nanny, greeted. "And this is Igor himself." "Charmed," the vulture bowed.

"A fire demon?" Renee smiled hopefully. "Perhaps you can lift this curse on us."

"Maybe, maybe not. If you can find a way to break the spell on me, then I will be able to break the spell that's on you," Duckula reasoned.

"If you're a vampire-turned-demon, how do we know we can trust you?" Willow said slyly. "You can't," Igor smirked with Nanny sighing, "Igor, you're not helping with the situation."

"Will you promise to help us if we help you?" Renee asked Duckula.

"Well, I don't know, vampires or demons don't make promises," Duckula shrugged.

"Go find someone else, Ducky," Kat snickered. "Come on!" Duckula said as his arms flared up. "Feel sorry for me! This spell keeps me stuck in this castle and Rai treats me like a slave!"

"That half-bit wizard treats the master like a dog," Igor said angrily. "He even treats me and Nanny like his servants as well. That punk!"

"Yeah, and he makes me do everything! I have to keep the water hot, the room warm, the castle moving…!"

"How unfortunate for you," Yakumo said softly as she and her friends were becoming sleepy.

"Have you ever tried moving a castle, it's hard!" Duckula whined before saying to the group, "If you can get me and my friends out of this rut, I'll return you back to your original forms. Deal?"

"Fine, it's a deal," Renee said as she soon fell asleep along with her friends.

"Hey, hello? Lady?" Duckula called to her from his pyre. "It's no use, master; she and her comrades are asleep," Igor yawned. "And now, Nanny and I will retire as well." With that Igor and Nanny fell asleep next to the fire-duck.

"Some help these guys will be," Duckula grumbled in annoyance as the castle continued moving.

* * *

Morning arrived as a celebration was going on outside of a town. It appeared battleships were going off to sea as people cheered. Later, two people, the Fuhrer of the town Roy Mustang and his second in-command Riza Hawkeye walked through the town to a plain house with the words 'The Great Wizard Mung Daal' on the front. When they reached the door, Roy began knocking on the door.

Renee and her friends were still asleep when the repeated knocking woke them up. "Someone's at the door," Deni mumbled groggily, but stopped when three footsteps were heard marching down the steps. In panic, Renee and her friends closed their eyes again and pretended to be asleep.

The footsteps belonged to three children who were rushing to the door. One was a boy with black hair, and wearing a red and black striped shirt, black jeans, sneakers, and holding a blue blanket.

The second was another boy with light brown hair under a ski cap, violet eyes, and wearing a white shirt under a dark blue or black jacket, black shorts, knee-high grey socks, and brown shoes.

The third was a girl with shoulder-length brown hair, violet eyes, and wearing a dark pink blouse under a purple overall dress, white knee-high socks, black shoes, and a pink headband in her hair.

As they tried making it to the front door, they stopped and looked curiously at the old woman sitting in the chair 'sleeping' with animals at her feet.

"Who's this?" the first boy asked puzzled. "It's the Amestris door, you guys," Duckula said in a bored tone as Nanny and Igor started to wake up as well.

"How'd she get in here?" the girl asked curiously.

"No time for that; quickly, hop on, Linus," the second boy ordered as he kneeled down and the girl got on top. The first boy, Linus, nodded as he climbed on top of the girl and, after getting situated, pulled the blanket over him, which immediately gave him a beard and turned into a long blue coat that hid the two kids.

"Coming," Linus said in a deeper voice as he walked towards the door. Before opening the door, he muttered, "Stand by," and twisted a knob that had four colors to blue, which in turn changed a little circle to the color blue and he opened the door to reveal Roy and Riza.

"Good day, Fuhrer," Linus said in his disguised form. "Good day," Roy said as he pulled out a piece of paper and said, "Is the great wizard Mung Daal at home?"

"I'm afraid my master is not here at the moment," Linus said as Renee and the animals watched. "I speak for him in his absence."

"An invitation from His Majesty," Roy said as he handed the letter to Linus. "The time for war is here. He requires that all witches and wizards aid our homeland. Mung Daal must report to the palace immediately."

"Fat chance," Kat muttered quietly as Renee got up and added more wood to Duckula as Nanny and Igor watched from the shadows.

"Thank you," Linus said as Roy closed the door and Linus, still on top of the two other kids walked in.

"I can't believe its come to war," Renee sighed dismally. "And what are you doing here, grandma and her filthy pets?" Linus asked sternly.

"Filthy?!" Deni snarled indignantly, but was shocked along with Linus and the kids that she could talk. "What the-?"

"Young Linus, Riko, and Yori are apprentices, but they can understand animal-tongue," Igor explained as the girl, Riko, sighed, "Looks like the animals might be enchanted."

"Well, anyway, what are you all doing here?" the other boy, Yori, asked again.

"Ducky said we could stay here," Katrina giggled. "I did not!" Duckula argued. "They just waltz in here like they own the place from the Wastes."

"The Waste?" Linus said as he took off the blanket and Yori and Riko got up. "How do we know she's not a witch?"

"Yeah, I mean, she looks like one, and she has talking animals," Riko nodded in agreement.

"Do you honestly think we'd let a witch inside?" Nanny scolded as Renee chuckled a bit just as a bell rang from the outside.

"Amestris door again," Duckula sighed. He was technically the doorman for Rai and he didn't like the job very much.

Riko and Yori sighed as Riko got on top of her brother with Linus climbing on top of her and putting his blanket disguise on again, mumbling, "Must be a customer."

Opening the door without changing the color, Linus opened it to reveal Nina Tucker standing outside. "Ah, hello, my child," Linus greeted in his old man voice.

"My mommy sent me here to get a spell," Nina explained. "Ah, yes; come in," Linus said as he led Nina in. Yori then whispered furiously to Renee and her friends, "Don't cause any trouble, granny and mongrels."

"Hey, I'm a bird," Kat snapped, but to Nina it was chirping. Renee walked over to the window followed by her friends and was amazed to see she wasn't in the Waste anymore, but the bustling city of Amestris.

"It's not the Wastes?" Willow said softly, coming out like a mew to Nina. As Linus looked for a spell, Nina asked Renee, "Are you a witch too, granny?"

Renee smiled at the girl and replied, "That's right; I'm the scariest witch of them all!"

Nina laughed as Linus hustled to the girl and gave her the spell, saying, "Dust this powder and the winds will favor it."

"Thank you," Nina said politely as she gave Linus some coins and left.

As soon as Nina left, Riko and Yori got up as Riko sighed, "I don't know how long we can hold this disguise up everyday, bro."

"At least you don't have to be at the bottom," Yori shot back as Linus told Renee, "Stop telling the customers lies."

"What about you?" Yakumo questioned the three apprentices. "You're wearing a disguise."

"We have to; we're practicing our magic," Linus explained as soon as the bell rang again.

"Back to work," Yori grumbled as he and Riko got into position again and Linus was in his old man disguise.

"It's the Radiant Garden door," Duckula groaned as Igor sighed, "This is ridiculous for the master to do this everytime someone knocks."

Linus went to the door with Riko saying, "Stand by," as he switched the color of the knob to red and opened it to reveal Leon.

"Hey, is this the residence of the Great Wizard Merlin?" Leon asked.

Renee was shocked at the new arrival as Linus replied, "It is."

Leon continued, "I have an invitation from the king that says all witches and wizards must report to duty at the palace."

"I'll inform him right away," Linus said as Leon took off. "Incredible," Willow breathed in as her friends gasped. They were no longer in Amestris, but Radiant Garden!

"The royal city…" Renee realized as Yori, with the three now in their regular forms, snapped, "Move it, you lot, or you'll lose your noses!"

Renee and her animal friends obliged as they went back inside the house and shut the door.

Renee still stayed at the front door as Riko ordered them, "Stop wandering around." "Don't tell us what to do, brat," Deni snapped back.

Still curious as to how the castle can travel from one place to the other by turning the knob, Renee decided to test it out for herself.

She switched the color to green and, opening the door, realized they were back in the Wastes again.

She shut the door again and switched the color to blue and opened the door to reveal the house being in Amestris again.

Closing the door, she was about to turn the knob again when Linus, Riko, and Yori came up to her and Linus saying sternly, "Knock it off, granny. We're getting angry."

"This is a magic house, isn't it?" Renee smiled as Yori groaned in frustration, "Took you that long to figure that out."

"Where does the black one lead?" Yakumo asked.

"Only Master Raimundo knows that," Linus said as he and his two fellow peers went to a cabinet and opened it up and grabbed some bread.

"I'm starved," Riko whined as Linus split the bread into three equal shares and gave it to the twins. Yori then grabbed a plate of cheese and the children went and sat down at a semi-messy table. Renee hustled to the food-covered table and pulled out a tray that had fresh and unused meat on it. Next to it was a basket of eggs.

"Why don't you have bacon and eggs instead?" Renee asked. "Yeah, they build strong muscles!" Kat added as she looked at the meat and eggs hungrily.

"Heck yeah, but we can't use the fire. Master Raimundo isn't here," Riko said as if it were obvious. Renee didn't take the answer as she, with bacon and eggs in one hand, went over to the pots and pans and pulled out a frying pan, saying, "Don't worry, I can cook."

"It doesn't matter if you can cook; Duckula only obeys Master Raimundo," Linus argued.

"I hate to say it, but young Linus is correct," Igor nodded. "Yep, not even Harima can use Ducky-Boss," Nanny added.

"I will not take any orders from you," Duckula snapped as he flared up a bit and stuck his tongue out at her. "You're looking good to eat, duck," Willow said, licking her lips in hunger.

"There's my hat," Renee said as she picked her hat up and placed it on the chair. "Now then, Duckula; let's cook."

"Do I look like Julia Childs to you!? I don't cook!" Duckula said in exasperation. "I'm a scary and powerful vampire-turned-fire demon!" To prove his pint, he stuck his flame tongue out at Renee.

"Master, you're acting like a child," Igor sighed.

"How would you like a bucket of cold water in your face?" Renee smirked before she added to the fire duck demon silently, "Or would you rather have me tell Rai of our little bargain?"

"Oh, why you…I should've never let her in here!" Duckula yelled before Renee put the pan over his face. "Good fire ducky," Katrina giggled as Renee started to put some slabs of bacon on the pan.

"Now that you mention it, I could use some good bacon and eggs right now," Igor said, licking his chops as Nanny nodded.

"Here's another curse: may all your bacon burn," Duckula said darkly as Linus and his two peers looked on in amazement. "Duckula is actually doing as she says…" Linus said in awe.

"I think some tea would be nice," Yakumo said before asking the three apprentices, "Do you have a kettle here?"

"Sure," Riko shrugged as she got up and ran to the sink to get a kettle.

"For Pete's sakes, don't get the kettle! Whose side are you on!" Duckula griped.

At that moment, the color turned to black and the door opened as Harima and the boy who rescued Renee from the soldiers walked in.

"Master Raimundo," Linus said, getting up and being followed by Yori as the boy with the blanket explained to the Brazilian teen, who was now identified as the wizard Raimundo, "The king's messengers came today. They say you have to report to the palace, as both Mung Daal and Merlin."

"More problems for you, Rai buddy," Harima sighed to his friend. Renee and her pals, recognizing the two boys, gasped a bit before Renee continued cooking. Even Igor and Nanny went silent as they watched what would happen next. Rai and Harima approached the stove as Rai looked at Duckula with a bemused stare, remarking, "Duckula? You're being pretty obedient for a hot-headed duck."

"Not on purpose! She and her stupid animal friends bullied me!" Duckula, whose color turned from green to a reddish color, fumed as he continued cooking the bacon.

"Not just anyone can do that," Harima mused quietly as Rai looked at Renee and her animal friends, asking, "And you are…who?"

"Uh…" Renee faltered a bit before replying with a smile, "I'm your new cleaning lady, you can just call me Grandma Renee."

"And we're her little helper animals!" Kat chirped before she stopped herself and realized Rai and Harima could understand her. "She rescued us from a science lab," Willow quickly covered so Rai and Harima wouldn't get that suspicious. "We're enhanced creatures with the ability to speak."

"They can understand us?" Deni hissed to Igor with Rai and Harima not hearing her. "Well, he is a powerful wizard and Harima is a wizard, too," Igor shrugged.

Rai, accepting the answer Willow gave them, nudged Renee to the side as he took the spatula from her and asked her, "Hand me eleven more slices of bacon and about a dozen of eggs."

Renee obliged as she handed him the bacon and eggs. Rai put them on the pan, which was large enough to hold all that food and started to crack the eggs, giving the shells to Duckula, who ate them willingly.

"So, who hired you to clean?" Rai asked. Renee answered, "Duckula did. He's disgusted by how dirty it is in here."

"It's true, I don't have all the time to clean this pig-sty up," Nanny added.

"Riko, Yori, and Linus, get some plates," Harima ordered the kids, who grabbed enough plates for Renee, Rai, Harima, Igor, Nanny, the animals, and themselves and they set it up on the dining room table.

"Wait, you're all going to eat while I did all the WORK!!" Duckula exclaimed as Igor and Nanny made their way to the table following Rai and Harima.

"Come and have some breakfast, Renee," Riko invited as she and her friends went over to the table While Renee sat down, Kat hopped onto the table where her own plate was set up and Willow, Yakumo, and Deni ate on the floor where their breakfast was.

With their food being served, and Renee having some tea Riko cooked up while the animals had water, Renee looked for her silverware Just then, Linus held up five clean spoons and a semi-dirty fork.

"Choose one; Nanny and Igor eat with their hands so it's just the humans eating. The rest are dirty," Linus smiled as Renee choose a clean spoon. Rai and Harima choose spoons while Linus and Yori got the rest of the spoons and Riko got the fork.

"I always get the dirty one!" she whined as the group began to eat.

"Looks like we've got a lot to do, Renee," Kat smirked as she began pecking at her bacon.

Rai sliced some bread up, giving some to Harima and offering to the three kids, "Bread, you three?"

"Thank you," Linus said as he took a slice with Riko and Yori shaking their heads.

Rai then gave a slice to Renee, with the woman saying, "Thank you," and taking off a few pieces to give to her friends.

"So, friends; enjoy," Harima said as he ate some eggs. "Alright! I can't remember the last time I had a good meal," Yori smiled as he, Riko, and Linus dug into their bacon while Renee ate more slowly while Igor, Nanny, Deni, Willow, Kat, and Yakumo munched away.

"Even manners are a mess in this house," Renee noted as she watched Linus munch loudly on his breakfast. "I know what you mean," Nanny huffed as she ate some bacon politely.

Without warning, Rai said, "So, what do you have hidden in your pocket, Renee?"

Renee paused, as did the animals, as the woman checked the pocket of her pants…and pulled out a red envelope.

"That wasn't there before," Willow noticed. "Or was it?"

"May I see it?" Rai asked as he held out his hand to grab it. Renee tried giving it to him, only for the envelope to burn up with Renee dropping it in surprise as the letter burned to reveal a message now burned into the table.

"Scorch marks!" Linus gasped as Yori asked his teacher, "Can you read them?"

Rai smirked as he said, "Well, this is ancient sorcery and powerful one at that."

"Is it from Wuya?" Riko asked as Rai read the scorched message on the table, "You who swallowed a falling star, O heartless brat. You're heart shall soon belong to me…well, this can't be good for the table, huh, Igor?"

"Indeed, sir," Igor nodded. 'Oh, dear; that witch will not leave you alone," Nanny sighed.

Raimundo placed his palm on the scorch marks and started to rub it away, even if it did burn his hand a bit.

"Wow, the mark is gone," Harima nodded. "The mark may be gone, but the curse is still there," Rai said mysteriously. "Harima, I need to talk to you, dude. Sorry, friends; please continue your meal." Rai took his plate to Duckula and fed the fire duck-demon the rest of his food. "Duck-dude, move the castle 60 miles to the west."

As Rai headed upstairs, Harima took his plate and said, "Sorry for leaving." He followed Rai upstairs with food in hand as the rest stared dumbfounded.

"Well, that was…peculiar to say the least," Yakumo said softly as Rai called from upstairs to Duckula, "And while you're at it, make hot water for my bath."

"Like moving the castle isn't hard enough," Duckula griped.

"You're not working for Wuya, are you?" Linus asked Renee suspiciously.

Renee looked outraged as she fumed, "I would never work for that witch! She's the one who-!"

Renee's mouth clamped shut as she tried to say 'the one who cursed me and my friends,' but thanks to the spell, Renee couldn't say a word about it.

"You mean we can't tell anyone about how she-" Willow's mouth also wouldn't say anything either, proving not even the others could say anything about the spell.

Renee became angry as she pounded the table hard and shouted, "When I get my hands on that witch, I'm going to wring her stupid neck!!"

Settling back down, she noticed the shocked looks on Linus, Riko and Yori's faces and said to them, "Eat your food!" before she started to tear into her bacon.

"Is she psycho?" Yori whispered to the animals with Kat replying, "Meh, never acted that way before."

* * *

**GW:** Well, we've met the residents of the castle, including my two new OCs, Riko and Yori Maebara!

**Riko: **Be sure to tune in next time and remember to read, review, and suggest.

**Yori: **Also, vote in the newest poll please.


	5. Living with Abnormality

**GW:** Now that 'Lummox' is done, I'm going to try to update this story and 'Treasure Planet' more along with beginning 'Flight of Dragons.' Enjoy this chapter.

* * *

**Living with Abnormality**

Later that day, Renee and her animal friends were busy cleaning up the mess known as Rai's castle. Renee was sweeping out cobwebs and dust with a broom while Yakumo and Deni sweeping up the piles Renee made into trash bags. Katrina had a rag in her beak which she used to clean the murky windows and tables and Willow cleaned and organized dishes.

"I feel we're in a Snow White story," Katrina grumbled as she continued cleaning.

"I've had enough of this!" Renee scowled as she chased away Wurmple and Rattata, who ran off in fear. "I'm sick of dealing with this crap, I'm like a timid old lady cleaning houses!"

Outside, Riko, Yori, and Linus were setting things outside for a garage sale with Linus in his disguise but Riko and Yori just the way they were.

"Excuse me, but is my potion ready?" an older man asked Linus and the siblings.

"Come back later, sir," Linus explained in his gruff voice as Riko sighed in exasperation, "There's a rampaging witch in there."

Renee then finished mopping the floors as Deni said, impressed, "Wow, we did good in a short period of time." It was true. Granted the house was probably a mess, but at least the kitchen and living room was cleaner than before.

"You dearies are doing a wonderful job," Nanny commented as she put the last dishes away with Willow to help. Yes, even Nanny was helping clean up the house while Igor stayed with his master, who seemed to be panicking as he grew dimmer.

"Renee, please," Duckula begged as Renee passed by with a rug. "Yakumo, Willow, I need help!" Yakumo and Willow also ignored him as they dusted furniture in the room.

"Please, I'm going out. I need some firewood!" Duckula begged. "Igor, get me some wood!"

"I don't know where the wood is, master," Igor replied. "And there's none here."

"Great, I'm going to be snuffed out of the world too soon!" Duckula cried in panic. Renee came over with a pair of tongs as she picked up Duckula and placed him and the only block of wood he had left on a cup. The vampire was dangling above the cup and hanging onto the block of wood for dear life. "You crazy lady with tongs, what are you doing!?"

"You'll be fine," Yakumo explained as Renee took the broom and started to sweep the hearth and move all the ashes into a bag. "We're just sweeping the ashes away."

"Please, I'm falling, help!" Duckula begged, but Renee ignored him as she continued sweeping the hearth clean. "I'm going out, help."

Duckula tried to hang on for dear life as he called to Renee, who was moving the now full bag outside, "Hurry, Renee."

"Oh, Ducky Boss; Raimundo wouldn't have you go out," Nanny reassured the panicking duck, who tried to keep the block of wood steady.

That's when poor Duckula finally fell off his block and went limp in the cup. And at that moment, Rai with Harima came in and, placing new wood blocks on the hearth, plopped the dimly flaming bulge that used to be Duckula in his hand and breathed on it.

Renee and her animal friends came back in and saw a now rejuvenated Duckula on his hearth again, healthy and happy with Rai and Harima standing there.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't torment my friend," Rai told Renee as he walked towards the door. "He wouldn't stop complaining," Willow shrugged.

"Master Raimundo, are you going out again?" Yori asked his teacher, who switched the knob to black and, opening the door, revealed a red world.

"Harima, Linus, Riko, Yori, Nanny, and Igor; make sure the cleaning lady and her animals don't get carried away while I'm gone." With that, Rai jumped into the weird world. The door shut and reopened to reveal that the gang was in Amestris again.

"…Looks like I'm with you guys," Harima said, petting Yakumo on the head.

"What did you do?" Riko asked Renee, who shrugged. "She almost smothered me!"

Everyone turned to see an outraged Duckula with Igor and Nanny by his side. "If I go out, Rai dies as well. Do you understand that!?"

"Bah, you're alright; quit being a baby," Renee snapped as she went past him with broom in hand. The animals made faces at Duckula before following their friend, who was heading upstairs.

In a rush, Linus, Riko, Yori, and Harima blocked the path upstairs as Linus said, "You can't come up here yet."

With a sly smirk, Renee said, "Anything you don't want me to clean, you better hide it now."

The kids, even Harima, gasped as they ran up the stairs with Harima calling, "Save my room for last, got it?"

"No, my room is last!" Riko whined as they disappeared upstairs. Renee chuckled as Deni noted, "Threatening is another way to get people to do things for you."

Half-way up the stairs, the new cleaning crew saw spiders in their webs. "What a mess. Doesn't Rai ever clean up?" Kat said in disgust as Renee opened a door.

What they saw inside it repulsed them. It was the bathroom…but, like the castle, it was a chaos zone! Different colors were splattered on the walls, the tub, and even the toilet, which, with one glance, seriously needed to be cleaned.

Renee walked over to the window and opened it, only to gasp in shock as she saw that the castle was moving across a beautiful landscape.

"That's pretty cool," Deni said as she and the others saw the sight as well.

"Incredible!" Renee said in awe. She then called to Duckula downstairs, "Duckula! Are you the one moving the castle?"

"Duh, I'm the one that does any real work around here!" Duckula griped as Igor said, "Master, griping doesn't make anything better."

"It's amazing! I'm thoroughly impressed," Renee complimented. "You're a first-class vampire duck-turned-fire demon. I like your spark!"

There was a silence among the three birds until Duckula said happily, "She likes my spark!" Happy at the compliments, he flared up and made the castle move faster. "I haven't seen Ducky-Boss happy in a while," Nanny commented as Igor nodded slowly.

Renee walked out of the bathroom with friends in pursuit as Linus, Riko, and Yori, with things in their hands, yelled, "We're not ready!" before they closed their doors.

"I'm not ready either," Harima added as he, with pencils and drawings in hand, shut his door too. Renee forgot about cleaning as she opened a nearby door and walked out onto a balcony.

"Ah, I can finally stretch my wings!" Kat said cheerily as she flitted about outside with Renee, Yakumo, Deni, and Willow looked out at the forest below, the wide crystal blue lake, and stretching mountains. Yakumo looked a bit hungrily at some Stantler down below, who darted off when the castle moved by. "Being an animal makes you hungrier," she sighed she scratched herself.

At that moment, Riko, Yori, Linus, and Harima joined them out on the balcony as Willow commented, "It's beautiful."

"It's called Star Lake," Linus told her. "What's that?" Harima said, looking at a stick upside down in one of the pipes.

"We should pull it out," Yakumo nodded as the gang struggled to pull it out. When they finally did, it turned out to be Turniphead!

"Not this guy again," Kat groaned in annoyance as Yori said, "A scarecrow?"

"I call him Turniphead," Renee explained. "He always manages to get upside down." Turniphead then became animate as he jumped from the balcony to one of the roofs and kept on bouncing.

"He follows us everywhere," Renee said. "I think he likes us."

"Are you sure you're not a witch, Renee?" Linus asked the woman, who replied with a smirk, "Oh, yes; I'm the worst kind of witch, I'm the one who cleans."

Soon, the castle stopped beside the lake and Riko, Yori, Linus, Harima, Renee, and the animals came out with Renee holding a basket full of clothes.

Riko handed one end of the rope to Turniphead, who bounced along as Renee, Harima, Linus, and Yori added clothes to the rope to dry while the animals hung around.

"Stop pulling so hard, Turniphead!" Riko clenched her teeth as Katrina laughed, "No strength! No strength!"

Later, with Turniphead being a post to hold the clothesline together, the group set up lunch by the river with Harima carrying a table down and Renee pouring some tea (water for the animals and milk for the kids) for her while Harima got a can of soda and set up a plate of sandwiches, with everyone settling down to eat.

"I think he likes doing laundry," Linus said about the animate scarecrow as he bit into his sandwich.

"He'll have it dry in no time," Yakumo said as she ate some ham Harima gave her. "Thanks."

"You're a good wolf, Yakumo-san," Harima smiled as he patted her head.

"I bet he's some kind of demon," Yori said about the scarecrow in fascination. "Duckula doesn't seem to mind him at all."

"You're right; he probably is a demon," Renee smiled softly as she looked at the landscape of the lake. "But he led me and my friends here, so he must be the good kind."

With the day approaching to night, Renee sat in a chair as she watched the sun set over the lake with her Yakumo and Deni lying by her feet, Willow on her lap, and Kat on her shoulder.

Linus, Riko, Yori, and Harima came up to the elder and her menagerie and Linus said, "The laundry is put away, Renee."

"Oh, thank you, you guys," Renee said. "When you're old, all you want to do is stare at the scenery."

"It's so strange…we've never felt so peaceful before," Willow purred. "Yeah, even Deni is lightening up," Katrina joked, getting a growl from the dog. "Or not."

Soon after that, the group headed in, ready for supper. No one had any idea what Raimundo was doing.

* * *

**GW: **Well, there it is, folks. A nice chapter showing a day in Renee's new home. Read, review, and suggest until next time.


	6. Too Much Drama in One Day

**GW: **Here's another chapter of RMC! After this chapter and another update of TP, I'll begin my FOD parody. Enjoy the drama that comes with this chapter.

* * *

**Too Much Drama in One Day**

While Renee and her friends were spending time at the castle, Raimundo, having gone through the black door, was flying, yes flying, through the air. He now had the body of a raven, feathers and all.

He was flying over a burning city where it must've been destroyed due to the war that was going on. He looked seriously at it, but was surprised when he heard explosions.

He looked up to see airships, one from another side, bombing each other. Ship after ship was sent hurtling toward doom as Raimundo flew away.

One of the airships started to spit out bird-like creatures, which made Rai smirk as he dodged the attacking monsters.

Flying towards the sky he zoomed out of that world, making the creatures fly into what appeared to be a black wall.

Back at the disguised home, Rai, still in his feathery form, opened the door and walked back into his home, where Harima, Nanny, Duckula, and Igor were waiting. The boy slumped into a chair and put his feet on the hearth.

"You okay? You smell terrible," Duckula asked his employer. "Master Raimundo must be tired, Ducky," Nanny told the fire demon.

Rai then strained as he turned himself back into a human. He then sighed and sat up slowly. "Keep turning flying like that and you won't be ably to come back human next time," Harima said seriously.

Duckula then grabbed a block of wood near him and put it on, remarking, "Isn't this great? Renee put these here for me."

"She definitely doesn't look housemaid, and neither do her friends, but she works really hard," Igor commented with a small smile.

"This war is terrible," Raimundo said solemnly. "They've bombed from the Southern coast to the Northern border. It's all in flames now."

"I don't like the gunpowder and fire," Duckula said. "Those dopes have absolutely no manners."

Rai smirked a bit before saying, "You wanna know something ironic? My own kind attacked me today."

"Who was it; that horrid witch, Wuya?" Nanny asked worried.

Rai shook his head and replied, "No, some hack wizards who turned themselves into monsters for the king dude."

Duckula, his crew, and Harima looked shocked as Harima said, "Those wizards are going to regret doing that. They can never change back into humans."

"After the war, they won't recall ever being human," Rai sighed.

"Hey, aren't you supposed to report to the king, too?" Duckula said suspiciously as Rai got up out of the chair.

"I'm tired; make some hot water for my bath," he said as he headed to the stairs. "No please?" Igor rolled his eyes in annoyance as Duckula said, "What? Not again!"

When Raimundo drew a curtain nearby, he saw the sleeping form of Renee on a window seat…as a young girl again!

On cots next to Renee's bed, Yakumo, Deni, Katrina, and Willow slept but they were also human as well.

"Try not to wake them; they're sleeping like babies," Harima said to Rai, who stood there watching Renee for a while.

Rai then turned on the water and, since the rumbling was loud, it woke Renee and her friends up, as an old woman and animals again.

"Who the heck is waking us from sleep!?" Katrina squawked in anger as Renee looked to see Duckula about to eat some wood. "Is Raimundo back?" Renee asked.

"Yeah, and he's wasting all my hot water again," Duckula said as he stuffed himself full of log.

* * *

The next morning, Renee, with friends, Harima, Linus (in his old man disguise), Riko, and Yori in suit, walked outside with a basket on Renee's arm.

"I don't know why we have to go grocery shopping," Linus complained. "Raimundo hardly eats anything."

"Well, the rest of us need food," Willow said, sounding like a meow to others not in her group. "So, tough luck," Deni said gruffly, making it sound like a growl to others' ears.

Walking through the street, Yakumo, sounding like a bark, commented, "I love early morning walks. And look at the water; I've never been to the seaside before."

"It always looks like that," Riko shrugged as they walked near the harbor where boats were lined in the docks and stands were up and running.

The group stopped at a stand where Sciezka was selling potatoes.

Renee collected some in her basket as Linus said in his old man tone, "I hate potatoes."

"Pay up anyways," Yori told the boy, who gave the bookworm some coins. The group then came to a stand where Fuery was selling fish. "They were caught this morning," Fuery told them as Renee inspected some fish.  
"I hate fish," Linus said again in his old man tone. Just then, people were running towards the harbor as Daffy Duck said, "There's been some kind of attack!"

"I-It's l-l-like a b-b-b-an explosion!" Porky Pig said in panic. "A ship's been hit!" Misty Waterflower shouted as her Togepi was chirping in fright.

"What happened? Sorry, we're closed," Fuery told Renee as he ran off where the people were going.

That's when it came; a burnt, sinking ship that looked like it had been attacked. Smaller ships ranked it as crew members jumped off in panic.

"Let's get a better look," Yori said as he, Linus, and Riko tried seeing it better. "No, I've seen more than I can take. Let's go home," Renee said as she turned around, but stopped dead in her tracks as she saw a familiar sight.

It was one of Wuya's golems, going unnoticed in the crowd. Renee stiffened as she said in a panicked tone, "Wuya's henchmen are here!"

"What!?" her friends gasped, and slightly turning around, gasped a bit when they saw the golem. "Don't make any sound, he's a few feet away," Renee ordered as she moved her eyes toward the golem. The rock golem stayed a bit before turning around and leaving, with no one but Renee and her group noticing.

"He's gone," Renee reported as everyone relaxed. "Strange that no one else noticed."

Suddenly, three bombs were dropped into the water as an enemy airship attacked the town. "Look, that's what dropped the bomb!" Gosalyn said, pointing to the airship as it dropped propaganda down on the town.

"I think we should leave now," Yakumo whimpered as they moved through town and managed to enter back home.

Riko noticed Renee breathing hard as she asked in concern, "Are you alright, Renee?"

Renee barely nodded as she got to the main landing as her friends joined her. "I just need a glass of water," she panted as she sat down.

"I'll get it," Linus said as he dropped the basket of potatoes down and got a glass of water for the tuckered-out former Mew.

Before anyone did anything else, there was a scream of agony as Rai came out of the bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist and hands in face and his hair was a carroty-red.

Everyone looked to see Rai in his upset-state at the top of the stairs, screaming, "Renee! You-you sabotaged me!" Running towards a startled Renee, he put his dyed hair in her face and continued screaming, "Look! Look what you've done to my hair, girl! LOOK!!"

"What a scream queen," Deni scowled as Nanny and Igor stood behind the apprentices, also shocked at what they saw.

"It's a pretty color," Renee said mildly. "It's hideous!! You completely messed with my potions in the bathroom!"

Renee, knowing she organized some potions while cleaning in there, said with a weak smile, "I was just organizing things, Raimundo. Nothing's ruined."

"Wrong! WRONG! I specifically ordered you not to get too carried away!" Rai then closed his eyes with tears forming in them as he sat in the chair. "Now I'm repulsive; I can't live like this." He then began to cry in his hands.

"He's crying? He's totally crying!" Katrina gawked, never seeing a guy cry before in her lifetime.

"He's overreacting again," Igor sighed under his breath. "Come on; it's not that bad," Renee assured him when the hair turned from carroty red to a raven color.

"You should look at it now, it's an even better shade," Willow said brightly.

Rai then said darkly, "I give up. I see no point in living if I can't be beautiful."

That's when the room went dark as it began to shake and shadows were crawling everywhere. "Ah, this reminds me of the time when your father terrorized that village, master," Igor said happily.

"Not now, Igor! Can't you see Rai's going to put me out," Duckula shouted as he said to Rai, "Raimundo! Hey, calm down."

"He's calling the Dark Spirits," Linus said in fear. "We saw him do this before when a girl dumped him."

Renee walked to Rai, who was looking rather pale, and placed her hand on his shoulder, saying in a comforting way, "You're okay, Rai. We'll just dye your hair again." She then pulled her hand away when her hand was covered in green slime that came from Rai. Pulling away, Renee and her pals widened their eyes when they saw that Raimundo was melting into green slime!

This was the last straw for Renee as she yelled at Raimundo, "So you think you have it bad just because your hair is different? I never once been beautiful in my entire life!" She then ran to the door, saying with tears in her eyes, "I've had enough of this place!"

"Renee, wait!" Yakumo called to her friend as she and the three other animals followed the girl outside, where the castle was now located on a landscape that was raining heavily.

When she marched forward, Renee stopped to see she couldn't go anywhere due to the lake in front of her. Her friends caught up with Renee as Willow asked, "Are you alright?"

To respond, Renee started to cry. She was upset that she was stuck as an old woman and her friends were animals probably forever, and she just wished things went right for her. Her friends comforted the woman as best as they could, but Renee couldn't stop crying.

Just then, Turniphead came bounding to her with umbrella in hand as he held it over the five girls.

Renee stopped crying as she smiled softly at the scarecrow, "Thank you, Turniphead. How'd you ever get to be so kind?"

Then, Linus, Riko, and Yori came to Renee's side as Linus said urgently, "Renee, please come back. Rai's in trouble!"

In the castle, the slime was expanding as Duckula stood on a log to avoid getting in the goop. "Rai, cut it out! I'm drowning."

Renee and the gang came in as Nanny said in relief, "Oh, thank goodness you're here." Harima then shrugged, "I have no idea what to do about this, please help."

As Renee and her friends saw all this mess Raimundo was making, Renee smiled wryly as she said, "Too much drama for one day."

"Is Raimundo dead?" Riko asked in worry.

"He's fine; he's just throwing a tantrum is all," Renee said. "A bit like Corina. Come and help me pick him up."

Renee, Harima, the apprentices, and the birds pushed the chair Rai was sitting on to the stairwell as Linus, Riko, and Yori scampered ahead to the bathroom while Harima and Renee lifted the wizard up the steps.

"Get his bath ready," Harima told the kids while Renee said, "C'mon, Raimundo; you can still walk."

She then heard something fall. Turning around, she blushed when she saw Rai's towel on the steps. She looked to the sky and tried not to see anything as she and Harima kept moving up the steps.

Harima took Rai in the bathroom as the cursed animal girls and apprentices joined Renee. "Get him cleaned up, Harima," Renee told Harima, who sighed, "Okay. Wish he could clean himself."

As she closed the door to the bathroom, Renee turned to see the mess Rai made with his slime and groaned, "Great. I'm going to have to mop again!"

* * *

**GW: **Wow, Rai. Never took you to be a drama queen.

**Rai: **I'm not a huge dramatic person, GW! Anyways, R&R 'til next time!


	7. Call to Castle Duty

**GW: **Here's another chapter of 'RMC.' Enjoy!

* * *

**Call to Castle Duty**

Later, the mayor, a band, and some kids throwing flyers around were parading through town.

As people picked up the flyers and read about the war, a rock golem in disguise walked right past two women talking.

* * *

Meanwhile, Raimundo, with his new hair color, was lying in his bedroom, which was an oddly decorated room when Renee, Yakumo, Deni, Willow, Kat, and Harima entered. Renee was carrying a tray with a cup on it.

"We brought you some water. Would you like some?" Renee asked politely. Despite Rai's little tantrum, she managed to forgive him when he calmed down. He shook his head in response.

"I'll leave it here in case you might want some," Renee said as she put the tray down on the stand next to Raimundo's bed.

As she and her friends turned to leave, Rai muttered softly, "Renee…wait."

"What does he want now?" Kat grumbled, but got a glare from Deni telling her to shut it. As they came back, Yakumo asked, "You want some milk?"

When Rai shook his head again, Renee sat down in a nearby chair with Harima standing next to Yakumo, while she and her animal friends rested near Renee and Harima.

"What's up, Rai?" Harima asked his friend in worry. Even though Rai acted like a drama queen, or king, he was worried about how his friend was.

Before he responded, a black rock above the bed glittered red as Rai opened his eyes for the first time and gasped, "Wuya's trying to find my castle."

"We saw her henchmen at the harbor today," Willow said as her friends looked shocked. "Do you think she's found us?" Renee said in a concerned tone.

Instead of answering, Raimundo sighed, "I'm such a coward; all I do is hide," he turned to the side a bit before continuing a bit sadly, "and all this magic is just to keep everyone away. I can't stand how scared I am."

Deni cocked her head to the side before asking, "How come that hag is after you all the time?"

Rai paused before he answered, "She was once beautiful, so I pursued her. Then I realized she wasn't, so as usual old me, I ran away."

"Figures," Renee mumbled with an eye-roll as Kat gagged, "Why'd you ever think that ugly witch was hot, I'll never know!"

"You do realize you have more serious problems, Rai," Harima said seriously. The wizard nodded as he said, "I can't run much longer, though; I have to report for duty at the palace as both Wizard Mung Daal **and **Merlin. Man, I should've just stayed Shoku Warrior if my life was going to be this messed up."

"How many aliases do you have?" Renee asked with a raised eyebrow.

"As many as I need to keep my freedom," Rai said simply. Renee then said, "Just tell the king you don't want to go."

Raimundo pointed above him to a piece of paper and said, "See that? That's the oath I took when I entered the Royal Sorcerer Academy. It means I have to report to the palace when summoned."

Renee smiled, "You know Rai, I think you should see the king."

"What?" Rai, the animals, and Harima asked in astonishment.

"Give him a piece of your mind! Tell him this war is pointless and you refuse to take part. What do you say?"

Raimundo sighed dismally, "You obviously don't know what these people are like."

"I do; they're scum-bags!" Katrina laughed with Deni barking, "Shut up, Tweety!"

Renee then told Rai, "But he's our king; surely he would like to hear what his citizens have to say."

Suddenly, Rai gasped as he jumped out of bed, literally, and shouted excitedly, "I got it! What don't you go to the palace for me?"

"…Are you feeling alright, dude?" Willow asked then turned to Deni and said, "Did I get the phrase you humans use right?" Deni just rolled her eyes.

Renee, however, was stunned by Rai's proposal. "Huh?"

"Just say you're Merlin's mother," Rai explained. "And say that you're son is such a cowardly wizard and won't even show his face! Maybe then Juliet Douglas will give up on me!"

"Who's Juliet Douglas?" Yakumo asked Harima, who replied, "A woman who terrifies Rai to no end."

* * *

"Be careful; I heard she's actually a Homunculus named Sloth," Riko said worriedly as Linus handed Renee, wearing a pretty purple dress Rai gave her to wear, her hat that she's had since she came to the castle and Yori handed her the cane Turniphead gave her. "Or, that's what the rumors say," Yori shrugged, casting a glare at his eye-rolling sister.

"You're wearing that hat, even after the magic I used to make your outfit pretty?" Raimundo, with a blanket around him, said to Renee in disappointment.

"Take care of him, Linus and company," Renee said as she took a letter from Rai and she and her animal friends went to the door. "Bye," Linus, Riko, and Yori nodded as Duckula, Nanny, and Igor said, "Good luck."

As Renee switched the knob to red, Rai put a ring on her finger and said to her with a mysterious smile, "This charm will guarantee you a safe return. Don't worry; I'll follow behind you in disguise."

Harima then came to Yakumo and said to her as he put a pretty dark blue collar around her neck, "This will also protect you and your other animal friends. Be safe." If Yakumo could blush, she would've right then.

Rai then opened the door and ushered the five outside in Radiant Garden, the capital city.

As Renee and her friends stood outside and Rai closed the door, Renee sighed as she looked at the ring, "Why do I feel like this is a bad idea?"

"Because it's true?" Deni tried as they took off down the street to the palace.

As they passed by a roof where Murkrow were perched, Renee mused, "I wonder what Raimundo disguised himself as? Surely not a Murkrow."

"Yeah, he's not that creepy-looking," Kat agreed. Walking through the town, Renee spotted a flock of Swellow perched on a statue, she said, "Can't be a Swellow; too flamboyant for that."

Just then a hi-tech plane flew overhead as a woman on board was laughing in fun. The five got a deadpanned look as they said in a bored tone, "That could be him."

As the girls reached the half-way mark and saw the palace ahead, Yakumo sighed, "We still have a few more ways to go," before they took off to the large building ahead of them.

In the middle of the bustle of the city, a pudgy little Zigzagoon ambled by, sniffing the air. When he saw Renee and her crew walk past him, he followed right beside them with a bit of trouble.

"Raimundo?" Renee muttered to the Pokemon when she and her friends spotted him as they kept walking. "You disguised yourself as a Zigzagoon?"

When no response came, Deni said to the Pokemon, "Uh, hello; earth to Rai?" No answer. "Fine; keep silent," Deni shrugged.

"I can't believe you didn't think of something useful," Renee scolded 'Rai.' "Do you know how hard it is to do things when you're old?"

"Uh-oh; trouble coming our way," Willow said as familiar golems carried a familiar carriage beside Renee and her co. The curtain opened to reveal Wuya herself. "Well, look who's here; the tacky hat shop girl and her little friends," Wuya smirked maliciously.

"That witch…let me at her!" Kat squawked angrily as she tried to attack, but Willow grabbed the bird-girl by the teeth.

"Did you deliver my love letter to Raimundo?" Wuya asked as Renee kept her eyes on the road. She looked briefly at the Zigzagoon, who was glaring at Wuya sideways. "Who's he doing anyways?"

"He's acting like a big baby," Renee answered. "And he works me and my friends to the bones as his cleaning lady and animal cohorts."

Wuya chuckled, "How delightful! So, tell me; what business do you have at the palace?"

"Job-hunting," Renee said casually. "I'm sick of working for Raimundo." "And you?" Yakumo growled.

"I received a royal invitation," the witch said smugly. "That idiot Sloth finally realizes just how much she needs my powers."

"So she is a Homunculus," Renee mumbled, knowing the facts about Juliet being Sloth were true.

"If you're so great, why don't you lift the spell that's on us?" Willow snapped at the witch.

"I'm sorry, dear," Wuya said, not sorry at all. "My talent lies in casting spells, not breaking them. Bye, granny." With that, the witch closed her curtain and the golems sped up ahead of them.

"Now, wait right there, you hag!" Renee shouted as she hurried along, raising her cane. "You get back here right now!" She looked at the Zigzagoon and said to it, thinking it was Rai, "If I didn't have you or my friends to worry about, I'd have clobbered her senseless."

As the golems walked through the gates of the castle, they started to fall apart until they completely collapse into a pile of rubble and drop the carriage ungracefully. At this, Kat snickered as her friends watched.

"What on earth is going on!?" Wuya snapped as she looked out her window. A messenger nearby, Donald Duck, quacked, "Sorry, madam. But there are no vehicles beyond this point. You must continue on foot."

"That Sloth…if she irks me one more time, I'll expose 'Juliet Douglas' for the monster she really is," Wuya muttered as she got out of her carriage. As Renee and her crew approached the stairs, Renee whispered, "We can do this, you guys. Just act natural."

"If we act natural, Willow would question everyone, Deni would be acting uptight, Yakumo would give everyone the cold shoulder, as would you, I would be annoying people, and Rai would go drama queen on us," Kat joked, making her friends roll their eyes as the Pokemon kept trotting along.

The five heroes started to make their way up the very long flight of stairs as Wuya was having trouble. The Zigzagoon, however, ran about in circles, for he was so stubby you couldn't climb up.

"For Pete's sakes, Raimundo; we don't have time for shenanigans!" Renee said as Yakumo went back down and picked up the fat creature with her mouth and they started to move up the steps again, more slowly.

"Geez, Rai; why are you so heavy?" Yakumo groaned through clenched teeth as they kept on working their way up.

The five passed Wuya, who was having extreme trouble and was sweating profusely. "Wait, help. I…can't…make it," she panted.

Renee, also sweating a bit, while poor Yakumo looked ready to keel over, retorted, "What did you say? Something about how you can break the spell on us?"

"I…told you…I make spells…not break them," Wuya snapped weakly as Deni and Kat teased, "Then, we can't help you. Sorry!"

"You better start studying then," Renee said sternly as the five, with Pokemon dangling in the wolf's mouth, kept going. Wuya stopped, looking utterly tired, commented, "Where do they get all that energy from? Must be nice to be young when you're not under a spell."

As they got halfway there, they paused as Yakumo dropped the Pokemon and breathed, "Need…a rest for a bit." As the girls rested, they watched the struggling Wuya was Willow said curiously, "Just give up. You look like you're about to die."

"I've waited years to be invited here again," Wuya said solemnly. "Ever since Sl…Juliet Douglas…banished me to the Wastes!" Instead of saying Juliet's real alias, Wuya used her disguise name, just in case she didn't get in trouble.

"Hmmph, good luck in your futile effort," Renee said in her snarky tone. "Too bad I'm not young, or I'd help you up." This time she grabbed 'Raimundo' and started her way up as Yakumo added, "Also, we'd help, too, if we weren't animals. Good day."

"You little brats! Next time, I'll turn you senile and the animals dumb, too," Wuya growled. Then, they finally made it to the top of the entrance. Why it's so big, I have no idea.

Catching their breaths, Renee turned to the struggling Wuya and called out in encouragement, "Almost there! You can make it!"

Just then, a boy with brownish-black hair, violet eyes, and wearing a black hoodie, black pants with a silver chain, black boots, and brown wristbands named Chaos approached the five companions. "All guests follow me," he said in a bored tone.

"You should go and help her up," Renee scolded as Chaos replied, "I'm forbidden to do that, lady."

"How horrible," Willow hissed, only sounding like a cat to Chaos. "Let's go," Katrina urged on, sounding like chirping to anyone but her friends and Wuya. "You can make it!"

"Are you or are you not a witch!?" Renee said as Wuya finally made it to the top floor. "Oh, shut up, all of you," Wuya snapped tiredly.

"What happened? You look SO much older," Renee teased with a smirk. Wuya glared at her as her friends, even the Zigzagoon, chuckled.

* * *

The group walked inside the palace as a voice announced, "Mrs. Merlin and Wuya."

"Pull yourself together," Renee said firmly as Wuya hobbled along.

"Mrs. Merlin and Wuya!" the voice announced again as Wuya asked Renee, "Merlin? Why does that name ring a bell?"

"Uh…because that's what the tacky hat shop was called," Renee lied. "Don't you remember or are you that senile?"

Too tired to make a come-back, Wuya mused, "Is that what it was?" as they arrived in a fancy room where a chair stood in the middle of the room.

"CHAIR!" Wuya shouted as she hobbled to the chair and sat in it. "It's mine!" As Wuya collapsed in the chair, Yakumo spotted that the Zigzagoon scurried off into another room. "Raimundo, get back here!" she called, but the Pokemon didn't respond as he left. "Where's that ding-bat heading to now!?" Katrina scoffed as the five girls followed where they spotted the Pokemon heading to.

Just as they got there, a door opened to reveal two kids. One was a boy with red hair and wearing a black vest with a cross-zipper, black pants, and black and white sneakers. Next to him was a girl with long blond hair with black streaks and wearing a black tube top with a white lace around the edge and a cross-shaped zipper, a black miniskirt, knee-high, black zip-up boots, and black gloves. Both kids had violet eyes. They were Spite and Malice.

"Oh," Renee said, startled to see a smiling Malice and a bored-looking Spite.

"Hi," Malice chirped friendly as Spite nodded. "This way, please," he said dryly as the woman and animals followed the two kids into the door.

With Wuya, who was still relaxing in the chair, she was surprised when a curtain opened to show a giant light-bulb.

She then became more nervous when more of the light-bulbs were revealed, but she didn't act fast enough when someone flipped down a switch and the light-bulbs began to glow.

Wuya looked down, due to the blinding light, as weird figures danced around her until she stopped groaning in pain and just sat there.

* * *

**GW: **What happened to Wuya? Are Spite and Malice taking Renee to see Juliet Douglas/Sloth?

**Kat: **Will GW ever stop asking cheesy questions? Remember to read, review, and suggest.


	8. Rai's Teacher

**GW: **That's amazing that people are reading and reviewing 'FOD' already. I think that'll be a good story. Anyways, enjoy the introduction of Raimundo's teacher.

* * *

**Rai's Teacher**

Renee and her comrades were led into a beautiful room that was filled with planets by Spite and Malice.

As they got to the middle of the room, Renee could see some business-like men bowing to a woman sitting in a chair with light brown hair, violet eyes, and wearing a purple jacket over a green top, a purple skirt, and brown shoes. This was 'Juliet Douglas,' or, if you knew her real name, Sloth.

"Thank you, Miss Douglas," the lead man said as he and his associates left.

Spite and Malice came towards 'Juliet' as she wrote something down in a book and gave it to Spite. With that, the two kids walked away.

'Juliet' turned to the fivesome as she said, "So, you're Rai's mother."

"Yes, I'm Mrs. Merlin," Renee responded a bit cautiously.

"You must be tired; please have a seat," 'Juliet,' or Sloth offered.

"Thank you," Renee nodded as she sat down in a chair opposite Sloth while her animal friends sat by her.

"My name is Juliet Douglas," Sloth said as the Zigzagoon rested under the table near her. "His Majesty's head sorceress."

Deni gasped when she saw the Zigzagoon and mumbled to Renee, "Look at that under the table."

Renee's eyes widened as she said, "Is that your Pokemon?"

"Yes. His name is Acedia and he's my messenger Pokemon. I had him escort you here," Sloth said coolly.

Deni snapped her paws and grumbled, "Dang it! I should've known it wasn't Rai when the Pokemon refused to say anything."

"Losing our touch, aren't we?" Kat teased, making Deni growl at her friend.

"It appears Raimundo will not be joining us?" Sloth asked. Renee said, "He's nothing but a lazy son, he sent me and my pets here instead. I'm afraid the king would find him completely useless."

Sloth frowned before she said, "I'm sorry to hear that. Raimundo was the last apprentice I ever took on…I've never seen such a gifted student. I was so thrilled to have finally found someone talented enough to replace me."

Renee and her friends listened intently as Sloth continued, "Then one day, his heart was stolen by a demon and he never returned to complete his apprenticeship, and from that day forward he's been using his magic for entirely selfish reasons. Mrs. Merlin?"

"Yes?" Renee asked.

"The boy's too dangerous. His powers are too great for someone without a heart." "I'm getting a bad feeling about this," Yakumo whimpered.

"If he stays selfish, I'm afraid he'll end up like Wuya. Revenge, send her in, please."

A pretty girl wearing a black dress with a web design, who was obviously Revenge, rolled in a plump, hunched-over old woman who had long silvery hair and wrinkles all over her face. The old woman was sitting on a cart as Revenge wheeled the old woman next to Renee. The fivesome gasped. This old woman was Wuya!?

"What happened to you?" Renee asked in disbelief. When Wuya didn't answer, Sloth answered for her, "I just restored her to her real age. All her powers are gone. Once, she too was a magnificent sorceress with much promise. Then, she fell prey to a demon of greed, which consumed her body and soul."

Renee and her companions looked shocked as Sloth continued, "Our kingdom can no longer turn a blind-eye to this disreputable witches and wizards. If Raimundo reports to me and vows to use his magic to serve the kingdom, I will show him how to break from his demon. If not, I'll strip him of all his powers, just like her."

This was the last straw for Renee as she said firmly to Sloth, "I've heard enough! Now I understand why Rai was so concerned about coming to see you. It's a trap! You lure people here with an invitation from the King, then you strip them of all their powers!"

"I knew she was evil!" Katrina spoke out, but was shocked to see Sloth understanding her. Renee continued after Kat went quiet, "Rai would never be so heartless. Sure, he's selfish and cowardly. And he may be hard to understand sometimes…" Renee smiled as she said happily, "But his intentions are good he just wants to be free!"

As Renee kept speaking, she looked younger until she was finally in her younger self. With her friends, they noticed that they too were becoming more human-like. "Rai doesn't need you. He can destroy the demon on his own. I'm certain of it!"

"Uh, does anyone find this interesting?" Yakumo said as she looked at her now human friends. Renee didn't see her friends in their human forms because she was too intent on speaking.

Sloth smiled as she saw the five in human form. "Now I understand," she said to Renee, "you're in love with Raimundo."

Renee gasped and, due to being shocked at what Sloth said, reverted back into an old woman again while Yakumo, Katrina, Deni, and Willow went back to their animal forms. "Dang it, so much for that dream!" Kat groaned in disappointment.

Then, the newly transformed Wuya grabbed onto Renee's dress as she cried, "Raimundo? Raimundo's coming? I want his heart, his heart belongs to me."

"Get a grip, lady," Deni barked as Renee told the witch, "It's alright. Get a hold of yourself. Rai's not coming, okay?"

Just then a plane landed outside as Sloth smiled maliciously, "Oh, I think he will." She glanced briefly at her arriving guest, who appeared to be a humanoid mouse wearing a red jacket, red shorts, and large yellow shoes.

As a servant wearing a short red dress named Masochism let the mouse in, Sloth finished her sentence to the fivesome, "I now know his weakness, 'Mrs. Merlin.'

As the humanoid mouse walked, Renee identified him as the king himself, King Mickey.

"Your Majesty," Sloth nodded politely as Mickey stood in front of her. "As you were," Mickey told Sloth. "So then, how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, thank you."

"Thought I'd drop by rather than sit through a dull war meeting."

"What an honor," Sloth smirked. Mickey turned to see Renee, her friends, and Wuya and asked, "Who are your guests?"

"This is Raimundo's mother and her pets," Sloth said, nodding to the five. Mickey walked over to Renee, who bowed a bit.

"Thanks for coming. But I've decided not to use magic to win this war." This got the animals asking, "Huh?"

"We have tried using Miss Douglas' magic to shield our palace from the enemy's bombs. But the bombs fall on civilian homes instead. That's the problem with magic, right, Juliet?"

Sloth looked at him curiously before replying, "You're so eloquent today, Your Majesty."

At that moment, King Mickey walked through the door and said, "Hiya, Miss Douglas!"

Renee and her friends gasped as 'Mickey' frowned as the real King came towards Sloth and showed her a paper, explaining, "I have a new battle plan. This time it'll really work for sure!"

He then spotted the fake Mickey and laughed his trademark laugh. "Juliet that's the best double you've made of me yet! Keep up the good work."

"Your Majesty," Sloth nodded as King Mickey left the room.

Then, the awkward silence came as everyone, even Katrina, was silent. Until, that is, Sloth broke the silence. "So nice to see you again, Raimundo."

'Mickey,' now shown to be Raimundo, bowed and replied, "You're looking well, Sloth."

"What a flimsy disguise. Haven't I taught you better?"

"I'm not here to outwit you," he then turned to his normal form again as he hugged Renee protectively, "I kept my oath; I reported when summoned."

Sloth noted his new raven hair and asked, "You changed your hair? It looks like you placed a crow on top of your head."

Rai then replied dully, "Just don't ask." He then smirked, "Now, 'mother and her pets' will be coming with me."

Sloth then smiled evilly, "I'm afraid not." She then reverted into her long red dress as she tapped at the ground with her foot, which caused the ground to show a space-like scene for a moment. Then, she outstretched her arms, which were now liquid, right at the crew. Renee held onto a calm Rai while Wuya still clung to Renee's dress and the animals grabbed onto Renee's dress.

As the water subsided, they were now hovering above a landscape. Wuya was struggling to hold on as well as Deni and Yakumo to Renee's dress while Willow was being held by Renee and Katrina was fluttering in the air.

"Whatever you do, don't look down," Rai informed his friends as Sloth glared with a smirk, "It's time to show your 'mother' what you truly are, Raimundo."

Then stars started to fall from the sky and circle around the motley crew. The stars formed into people as they danced around the group.

As Renee watched, she felt Rai's hand around her change into a claw. Looking up, she gasped as he began to turn into a raven-like demon in front of her eyes.

Just then, Sloth came with a long stick in her hands and prepared to throw it at Rai. Renee covered his eyes and said, "No, Rai! It's a trap!"

Rai managed to regain his senses as he flew the gang just in time, barely missing the stick. Instead, the stick got Renee's hat.

As they crashed through the roof, of the building with Rai regaining his human form and they landed safely on the ground. They ran over to a plane as Rai started it up. Before it took off, Acedia the Zigzagoon appeared out of nowhere and jumped into Wuya's lap as they took off into the air.

"Renee, sit up here," Rai instructed the woman. As Renee sat up in the seat, Kat, flying beside the mechanism, groaned, "Did you have to bring those two?"

Looking, back she saw Wuya holding Acedia and saying, "Nice doggy," with a blank look on her face.

Deni sniffed at Acedia. "I can't believe you work for Sloth. I guess it's too late to fight now."

"Renee, take the wheel," Rai said. "Are you crazy!?" she snapped. "I can't fly this thing!"

"She'll end up killing us all," Yakumo said in agreement.

"They're gaining on us," Willow said as her friends gasped at the sight. Planes from the military were right behind them.

"I'll distract them. Then, you can fly back to my castle in the Wastes," Raimundo said.

"How? I don't know the way," Renee said doubtly. Rai said, "Hey, chill, Renee. The ring I gave you will lead you back. Just summon Duckula with your heart."

Renee looked at her ring as it began to shoot a beam of light ahead of them. "Just keep following the light and you should be there before dark."

"I can't do this! Why'd you make us come here if you were coming anyway?" Renee snapped.

"Knowing you'd be there gave me the courage to come. That woman terrifies me, I can't face her on my own! You saved me, Renee. I was in big trouble back there."

He then let go of the wheel, leaving Renee in charge, where she almost flew into a church in panic. Luckily, she missed, only having a few dazed animals and Rai's shirt to be torn.

"Nice job," Rai laughed. "Are you nuts!?" Deni and Willow snapped as Katrina laughed, "You're good, Renee!"

"We've got a good lead now," Raimundo told her. "I can give you guys a few moments of invisibility, so use it wisely."

With a sweep of his arm, Rai made two copies, one with him on it and the one with only Renee and her friends, who were invisible.

"Rai!" Renee called as he saluted, "Good luck," and took off with the copy.

As Renee tried controlling the plane, Willow shouted, "Tree ahead!" With effort, Renee pulled back the plane and evaded the tree as she continued to follow the beam of light from her ring.

* * *

Meanwhile, Malice dislodged the stick from its place, which was the chair and handed it back to Sloth, now as 'Juliet Douglas' again while Spite got Renee's hat.

"Thank you," she said to Malice and Spite as she remarked, "That's the most fun I had in years. I suppose Raimundo thinks he's evaded me." She looked at Renee's hat and chuckled, "I bet his 'mother' can help me find him."

* * *

**GW: **Oh, no! Looks like Sloth wants to get her watery hands on Rai! BTW, Acedia means 'sloth' in Latin, so I thought it would be a cool idea to name the Zigzagoon that. I hope to finish this story soon before working on anything else, so read, review, and suggest!


	9. The New Home

**GW: **Like I said, I'm going to do chapter updates of 'RMC' and 'FOD' more until 'RMC' done so I can return the movie and have only two stories to work on. So, enjoy this chapter of the story.

* * *

**The New Home**

Soon, soldiers were searching the homes of 'Mung Daal' and 'Merlin,' but upon entering they found nothing but ruins. Duckula had already moved the castle and probably won't be returning to either location.

With Renee and the gang, they kept flying as the sky darkened and rain poured down lightly. She was still following the ring when Yakumo noted, "Look, we're almost there." It was true, for down below was a city that Renee and her friends identified as their hometown.

Acedia looked at Renee with large, cute eyes. Renee scowled, "Don't try that cute act with me. I'm still not trusting you."

"Can't we just throw him off?" Kat asked, who was now riding on Deni's shoulder. Deni replied, "It seems Wuya's developed affection for him."

Wuya hadn't stopped holding the Pokemon since they took off. "Then, we throw both of them off," Kat joked, getting a reprimanding glare from Deni.

"…I miss home," Willow sighed sadly as Renee passed over the city and continued into the Wastes.

"It's the castle! They're coming to meet us!" Renee smiled as she spotted the castle ahead of them.

On one of the balconies, Linus, Riko, Harima and Yori waved as Linus called, "Renee! Here!"

"Linus, you guys; I can't slow down!" Renee called back in panic. Before any answer could be provided, the 'mouth' of the castle opened and swallowed the plane, which crash-landed inside the living room.

"Oh, my!" Nanny said in shock as Duckula and Igor looked equally surprised.

"Now you know what it's like when you crash through doors, Nanny!!" Duckula said as Nanny said in a stunned tone, "Yes," and Igor snapped, "More messes to clean up!"

The three apprentices and Harima soon started to look for their friends in the rubble as Harima said in worry, "Please be alright, everyone."

"Renee?" Yori asked, but gasped when he saw the newly transformed Wuya holding a Zigzagoon. "Nice doggy," she said with a bemused smile as Acedia coughed.

"Renee, when did you get so ugly?" Riko sneered at Wuya when Renee and the animals came through safely as Renee greeted lightly, "Hi, everyone! We're home!"

"Renee!" Linus, Riko, and Yori hugged Renee, Katrina, Deni, and Willow as Harima embraced a nervous Yakumo. Yori then held up three figures at a dazed-looking Willow and asked, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"…Eight?" Willow said a bit groggily.

"Close enough," Yori shrugged.

"We missed you guys," Linus said happily as Renee responded, "We did, too."

* * *

Later that night, while Duckula was moving the castle, everyone was asleep. Wuya got to sleep on the couch with Acedia sleeping in her lap. Sleeping on an extra mattress was Renee, who was now in her normal form while Yakumo, Kat, Deni, and Willow slept next to the mattress in their human forms. Nanny and Igor were napping when they, along with Duckula, were awakened by the door opening.

Looking up, Nanny gasped and Igor and Duckula widened their eyes as Rai, in a hulking form, walked past, and as he walked he left behind red footprints in the shape of a crow…

"Oh, this is bad!" Igor and Nanny gulped as Duckula said to Rai, "You've done it now, Rai."

Raimundo ignored their comments as he went past the sleeping guests. When he past Renee's bed and walked upstairs, she woke up and heard his door close.

Curious, she got up and whispered, "Maybe Rai's back home." She looked down and saw a red crow-shaped footprint and a black feather. She tried picking it up, but it crumbled in her hand.

Careful not to wake anyone, she slipped on her shoes and lit a candle before quietly ascending the stairs to Raimundo's room.

When she reached his door, she said loud enough for him to hear, "Rai?" When she got no response, she opened the door and walked inside. The room was overly loaded with 'treasures' Rai collected and it made it seem like a cavern.

Moving through the cavernous room, she stopped when a breeze flew past her and waved the candle a bit. She looked to her left to see two passages.

From one of the passageways was a sigh, which Renee followed.

Moving closer, she discovered Raimundo as a giant raven-demon, breathing heavily as he was laying down.

"Raimundo? Is that you?" Renee asked in concern. "Are you pain? Tell me what's happening."

"Go away," Rai croaked deeply. "No, I won't go away! I'm going to help you break the spell that your under!" she said stubbornly.

Rai slowly got up and said to her, "You? You can't even break your own spell."

Renee looked at the wizard desperately. "But you don't understand. I love you-"

Rai replied harshly, "Too late." He then took off, leaving a bunch of feathers in his wake.

When Rai left, Renee was in her old woman form, shouting at him, "Raimundo, no!"

* * *

The sound of running water startled Renee awake. She sighed a bit, realizing that terrible experience was nothing but a dream.

"You okay, Renee?" Yakumo asked in worry. Her friends were surrounding her as Wuya and Acedia slept on.

Renee nodded to her friends and asked Duckula, who was awake along with Nanny and Igor, "Duckula, did Raimundo just get in?"

"Yeah, and he looks awful," Duckula said as Igor rolled his eyes, "You better find a way to break the spell on the master and Raimundo."

"Rai's running out of time!" Duckula said. "I hope you realize that."

"You mean he'll become a monster?" Renee said sternly. "Is that?"

"I can't explain the details," Duckula said. "Ducky Boss is right, dearie. You should now that by now," Nanny said gently.

Deni approached Duckula and said, "Do you know what Sloth said? She said Rai's heart was taken by a demon. Tell us now, what do you now?"

"No way! My beak is sealed!" Duckula said firmly.

"What if I dump water on you!?" Renee snapped, making Igor retort, "Do that to the master, and may 40 curses plague you forever!"

"Yeah, and if you do that, Rai will die as well," Duckula added, nervous if he was dumped with water.

Renee sighed as she walked outside alone, hoping to think about her predicament. She not only had to break the spell on her and her friends, but also on Raimundo.

She looked up at the window to where the sound of running water could be heard and frowned in concern. Some way, she had to fix this mess.

Suddenly, Turniphead came bouncing next to her side. She smiled at the scarecrow and greeted, "Hi, Turniphead. This task isn't going to be easy."

* * *

Later that morning, Linus, Riko, Yori, Turniphead, and Acedia were busy pulling on a rope as Linus called, "Alright, we're ready!"

Renee, Harima, and the animals were poised at the mouth of the castle with the end of the rope tied to the plane Renee and co. came crashing in last night. The gang was going to get rid of the plane by pulling it out.

"Here we go!" Renee as she, Harima, and the animals pushed at the vehicle hard while Turniphead, the apprentices, and Acedia pulled. But the plane wouldn't budge.

"I said move!" Renee shouted as she kicked the plane in frustration. But then, the plane started up again as Harima muttered with a sweat-drop, "Hoo boy."

The plane bounced outside as Linus, Riko, and Yori shouted in fear and the kids, scarecrow, and Zigzagoon ran away from the plane that was coming their direction. Willow and Katrina were laughing as Harima scolded them, "It's not that funny."

"Oh, it is, Harima," Kat laughed as Willow said, "Sorry, but human machinery can be humorous."

The machine was nearly upon them when the five hopped over a rock and the plane collided into it, destroying the machine for good.

The five stopped and stared at the dead plane before Linus, Riko, and Yori laughed sheepishly, Turniphead did a weird dance, and Acedia jumped up and said, "Goon, goon!"

Meanwhile, Renee was sweeping out the debris the plane created as Yakumo looked sheepish at the nasty hole the plane. "If we had a curtain, maybe Rai won't notice," she said with a sweat-drop.

"Yeah, or if he was as dumb as he looks it would completely escape him," Deni said with an eye-roll.

Renee watched the apprentices, Zigzagoon, and Turniphead run around below and called to them, "Come on in, it's time to eat."

Inside, everyone was sitting around the table eating breakfast. Duckula, however, looked a bit nervous as Wuya stared at him with a blank look as Renee fed the old woman porridge.

"Here, have some more," Renee said kindly as she fed the old woman again. "Don't feed her, for Pete's sakes! That's Wuya!" Duckula snapped.

"Oh, she's alright once she's been reduced to a harmless old woman," Renee said as Nanny agreed, "Wuya does seem more like a sad old woman than a dangerous witch."

"But she keeps staring at me! It's freaking me out!" Duckula whined.

"What a pretty fire," Wuya said dreamily as Igor sighed, "She's scaring me more than you, master."

Then, Raimundo, wearing a black and red Shoku Warrior outfit with his medallion, came downstairs and said cheerily, "Morning, everyone."

"Glad you're home," Renee said in relief. She was glad he wasn't freaky or as cold to her as in her dream.

"Can we keep this Zigzagoon!?" Riko said happily as she hugged Acedia.

Glancing at Wuya and Acedia, Rai said, "Wuya and Sloth's pet at my table? What possessed you to let them in the house, Duckula?"

The vampire-demon duck looked outrage as he said, "I didn't let them in! Renee crash-landed into my face last night!"

Raimundo laughed as Renee glared at the fire duck. "I knew she'd make a great pilot."

He walked over to Turniphead, who was standing near the hole, and remarked, "Looks like we have another addition to the family. Hmm, you have a nasty spell on you, too. Seems everyone in this family has problems."

"I've meet weirder," Harima sighed a she pet Yakumo's head.

"What a handsome man," Wuya mumbled through her porridge as Deni said, "Maybe we should've dropped her when we were flying."

Rai then turned to the people at the table and said with a grin, "We'd got work to do. We're moving today!"

"Moving?" Renee, Yakumo, Kat, Willow, and Deni said quizzically.

"Cool. I'm tired of being in the middle of nowhere," Yori nodded.

"Sloth's hot on our trail. So we're going to have to hurry." Raimundo turned to Turniphead and said, "I'm afraid your spell is too strong for this move. You'll have to stay behind." Turniphead looked a bit disappointed, but his grin hid it.

After eating, Harima was helping Rai out by getting rid of stone as Raimundo drew a mysterious circle. "All done," Harima nodded.

"Okay, Duckula; move it to the circle!" Rai ordered as the castle moved until it sat on top of the circle Rai drew out.

Then, everyone sat on the table as Rai, after drawing out another circle in the middle of the floor, said in satisfaction, "There. Sit tight for a second."

He walked over to the hearth and picked up Duckula with a shovel before he walked back to the circle and stood in the middle of it.

"Be gentle with me, please," Duckula said as Igor rolled his eyes, "Master, be at least a bit braver than that."

"On my mark," Rai told the fire duck as he stretched out the arm that wasn't holding Duckula out as the wind started to pick up.

Then, Duckula turned into a frightening demon as Kat screamed in terror, Way, stared out into space, Acedia looked bored, and the rest looked in amazement.

As the circle began to glow, the house began to transform. Renee watched as the usually messy room became neat and easy on the eyes.

The glow and wind stopped as Duckula returned to normal and Renee and her friends looked at their new and improved home.

"Nice vocal chords," Deni smirked at Kat, who glared. "Brilliant, master," Igor said proudly.

The apprentices, Nanny, Igor, Renee, and her friends looked around with amazed smiles as they looked at their nice new home.

"Moving's done," Raimundo said casually as he placed Duckula back in his pyre. "You can climb off that table now."

"Wow, this is great, Raimundo!" Linus, Riko, and Yori said in excitement as they ran around their new home. "It's huge!"

"Oh, what a pretty fire," Wuya said again as Renee and her comrades looked out the window to see that they were living in their hometown again! The usual train rolled by as people walked around town. Unknown to Renee, her features were softening into a younger image, even though she still kept her older voice and her friends stayed like animals.

"This is-" she breathed in awe. "I even added a bathroom," Rai said as he opened a door top reveal a bathroom. "Since our family keeps growing."

Renee followed him as he went to another door and said, "I added another bedroom. Here, look."

Renee and her friends gasped as they entered their room, which was exactly like their bedroom back at their old home at the hat shop. Renee then became her younger self except for her grey hair as she looked around. Deni observed her paw and sighed. "Looks like this wasn't enough magic to turn us back normal."

"Don't worry; it looks like Rai's the reason. So be patient," Willow said kindly as Renee asked, "Why…did you do this?"

"So, you guys could have a room that's suitable for you. Do you like it?" Rai asked.

Renee then switched back to her old self, but with softened features than when she started off with. "Sure, it's perfect for a cleaning lady and her pets."

"Don't be so negative," Yakumo rolled her eyes as Rai said, "I bought you some new clothes, too. You can open them later." Then he was gone. Renee looked through the window at her old town in shock as her friends watched with her.

"Come on, Renee! Look at this!" Riko called as she, her brother, and Linus ran outside. "Wow, a courtyard?" Yori said happily as he and his friends ran around outside with Acedia, Willow, Kat, and Deni. Harima walked out with Yakumo as well and commented, "Sure is beautiful today."

She nodded as she licked his hand happily.

"That shop is ours, too," Rai pointed out as Renee joined Rai. "Renee, we have a new door wheel as well."

The knob and wheel had changed. Now, the colors were yellow (the color the arrow was on at the moment), red, black, and green as Rai switched the color to red.

"It's a present for you," he smiled as he opened the door. "Come and take a look."

Renee gasped in amazement as Rai led her out into a breathtaking field, complete with mountains, blue sky, the whole shebang.

Rai took her hand as he led her through the field, saying, "You like it? It's kind of like my private garden."

Renee smiled happily and said, "It's incredible."

The duo walked in the fields as Renee asked, "Did you use your magic to make this?"

"Only to help the flowers grow," Rai replied, jumping across a small running brook with Renee running to the lake nearby, in her young form again with the exception of the silver hair.

"This place is gorgeous, Raimundo! It's like a dream," Renee shouted with a smile as she looked around.

"Renee?" Rai asked her as she answered him, "It all seems so familiar, though I've never been here before. I feel so…at home."

Rai offered his hand to her and said, "Come with me." She gladly took his hand as he led her to a mill nearby with a waterwheel.

"How cute. Zoey and Kikki would go nuts over it," Renee mused.

"It used to be my hangout when I was younger," Rai replied.

"You…didn't have a family?" Renee asked.

He shrugged. "Well, my uncle, who was a wizard, gave me this place as a private study. And now you can use it whenever you'd like."

As he was about to lead her there, Renee stopped and looked at him in concern. "What's up?" Rai asked.

"It's just…I'm afraid. I have this feeling that you're going to leave me," Renee replied softly. "Please, tell me what's going on. I don't care if you're a monster."

Rai smiled at her as he took her hand in reassurance. "Don't worry; I'm just setting things up so you all can have a comfortable life, Renee. With all the flowers here, you could open up a flower shop."

He then looked at her and said in excitement, "Right? I'm sure you'd be good at it."

Renee then looked at him sadly. "So, you are going away?"

He looked crestfallen as she pleaded, "Please, Rai; I know I can be of help to you. Even though I'm not pretty and I'm only good at cleaning."

Rai looked shocked as he said to her, "Renee! When are you going to get it, girl, that you're beautiful!?"

Then, Renee morphed into her old woman form again and said gently, "The best thing about being old is that you don't have much to lose."

Rai looked sad but then turned as he heard something. In the distance, Rai and Renee spotted a battleship drifting along.

"What's that thing doing out here?" Rai said through narrowed eyes. "A battleship," Renee breathed in.

"Looking for more cities to destroy," Rai growled in anger as the battleship drifted on.

"Is it the enemy's or one of ours?"

"What difference does it make?" Rai said hardly. As the battleship flew past them, Rai muttered, "Those stupid murderers." It was clearly obvious he hated what both armies were doing to his world.

Rai then spotted bombs underneath the ship and said as he swiped his arm, "We can't let them fly with those bombs."

Getting inside the ship, he made the engines stopped which sounded the alarms inside the machine as crew members ran about in panic.

"What's happening?" Renee asked in worry. Rai clutched his arm as it started to grow black crow feathers. "What did you do?"

"Just messed with it," Rai replied. "Don't worry, it won't crash."

Renee gasped as she noticed Rai's arm. "Raimundo!"

"Uh, oh. Here they come," Rai smirked as the battleship started to pump out black flying demons wearing top hats. The demons then went after Rai and Renee.

"Those are Sloth's henchmen," Rai explained as Renee widened her eyes in panic. He then grabbed Renee and started to run, shouting, "Let's go!"

Holding Renee's arms, Rai grew wings and flew towards the portal to the castle. "This is insane!" Renee shouted as they continued flying away from the demons of Sloth.

The portal came into sight as Rai told her, "Alright; you're going in."

"No!" Renee protested. But Rai dropped her as he took off. Renee was screaming, but she managed to fall into the portal and wind up back at Rai's castle.

The knob turned to yellow as Linus, Riko, Yori, Acedia, and Renee's friends came back from playing in the courtyard, but stared as they saw Renee clutching her back in pain.

"What happened to you, Renee?" Yakumo asked her friend.

"I'm too old to be treated like this!" Renee snapped in pain.

* * *

**GW: **Man, what a tedious write. But I'm almost done with this story, so who cares?! Read, review, and suggest 'til next time!


	10. Attack on the New Home

**GW: **So, Rai's gone away and Renee and the gang are left to live in her hometown with a new home. But, good things come to an end eventually…Enjoy.

* * *

**Attack in Town**

Later that night, Renee was sewing a bed-spread for her room as Yakumo, Katrina, Willow, and Deni slept nearby when a knock came at their door.

"Come in," Renee said as Linus, Riko, Yori, and Acedia came in. "Good-night, Renee," the children said.

"Night, you guys," she said as they were about to leave when Riko said, "Oh, don't worry about Raimundo. Sometimes he disappears for a while, but he always comes back."

Renee smiled. "Thanks, that's good to know." The kids nodded as they went to their rooms.

Later, Renee was tucking in Wuya, which would be an odd sight to see, but Wuya couldn't do it herself. "Need anything else?" Renee asked.

"No, I'm fine," Wuya said mildly. It appears that she's become a bit kinder in this form.

"Alright, good-night," Renee nodded as she prepared to leave when Wuya said, "You're in love."

Renee stopped and looked at the former witch, who smirked, "Don't deny it; you've been sighing all day."

Renee sat on the edge of the bed as Wuya said, "Just as I thought."

"We're you ever in love?" Renee asked. Wuya gave a chuckle, "Of course I am. I'm still in love."

Renee's eyes widened as Wuya continued, "Strapping young men are hard to deal with, but I adore their hearts!"

Renee gave the witch a dry look and muttered, "You're terrible, you old loon."

Wuya ignored the comment and said, "And they're so cute, too." Then, sirens could be heard from far off.

"What's that?" Renee said, getting up and looking out the window.

"It's an air raid siren," Wuya explained. "It's a long ways off, but you better not go outside tonight."

It then showed Darths (from _S.Cry-Ed_) hovering around outside as Wuya told Renee, "I'm sure Sloth's henchmen are looking everywhere for this place."

Duckula ducked behind the logs as Wuya commented, "What a good fire. He keeps this house so well hidden."

* * *

Meanwhile, a war was going on as battleships blasted around a battlefield as tanks rolled forward and soldiers marched on to battle.

As ships kept flying to their next location, Rai was seen in his raven form, flying stealthily near them.

Back in town, residents were leaving to safer places, just in case their town might be attacked next.

As Harima, Linus, Riko, and Yori walked outside with Linus in old man disguise and Acedia walked with them, a car pulled up to reveal a familiar face.

"Who's that?" Yori asked as Acedia growled.

Renee was coming out into the courtyard with animals in tow when Harima and the apprentices and Pokemon ran up to her and said, "Renee! There's some weird and loud lady here."

"Great. More oddballs," Katrina grumbled, but gasped when she saw none other than her old employer Yukari come forward.

When Yukari saw her former employees, she said in delight, "Renee and her little friends!"

"We're not that-" Deni was cut off when Yukari glomped the five girls and started to sob. ""Thank goodness you're here! I looked everywhere for you!"

Renee and her friends looked startled that Yukari would care enough to try and find them. "Look at your face! You look so old, Renee. And the rest of you are animals. Everyone says it's my fault you left, please forgive me!"

Renee smiled at her former employer and hugged her old friend and employer. "You crazy nut lady."

"Renee's right about that," Willow rolled her eyes, but was just as happy to see her employer again.

Renee and her animal friends let Yukari in as Wuya slept in a chair in front of Duckula and Igor and Nanny watched what was happening.

"I barely recognize this place," Yukari breathed in as she held onto a purple bag and set it on the table. She pointed to Wuya and said, "Is that the landlady?"

"Yeah, and the fat hen's the cook and the vulture is the butler," Kat snickered, getting glares from Deni, Nanny, and Igor and a "Shush," from Yakumo.

"Guess what!? I got married!" Yukari said happily. "Any man who'd marry her would have to be clinically insane," Igor rolled his eyes as Nanny giggled.

"He's such a nice man," Yukari said, not hearing Igor, "and he's rich. So you can move in with us if you want."

Harima, Riko, Linus, and Yori watched as Yukari squealed happily, "You won't have to work as a cleaning lady anymore!"

Renee looked startled, but then smiled as she said politely, "Thank you, Yukari, but we like living here."

Yukari looked a bit crestfallen as she said in disbelief, "Really?"

"Better than hearing your voice, that's for sure," Deni muttered, making Kat snicker.

Yukari then gasped, "I forgot! I got a car waiting! See ya'!" She then walked away as Renee and her crew followed.

Wuya then woke up and ran to the table where Yukari left her bag. Opening it, she pulled out a black slug and looked at it in disdain.

"What is that?" Nanny asked as Wuya grasped the slug in her hands and walked towards Duckula.

"A peeping slug?" Wuya scoffed. "Is that the best Sloth can come up with? Open wide, Ducky!"

Wuya then threw the spy into Duckula's mouth, which destroyed the spy, but greatly reduced Duckula to a shimmer.

"Master!" Nanny and Igor cried as Wuya pulled out a cigar from the bag and began to smoke it.

Meanwhile, Renee is wishing Yukari good-bye. "I hope you and your husband live happily together."

"Thanks, Renee. Bye!" Yukari said as she and her driver took off with Renee waving good-bye.

When she stopped waving, Yukari became serious and said, "I did as I was told, now give me my husband."

"Yes, ma'am," the driver, who morphed into a green-haired teen named Envy, one of Sloth's co-horts. "I'm sure Sloth would be very pleased with you."

Yukari glared at the palm tree, and said softly, "Renee, please forgive me."

Renee and her animal pals stood by the door as Harima, Linus, Riko, and Yori looked at them sadly.

"Look at them all leaving," Renee said as people kept filing out. "At this rate, the town will be empty," Willow frowned.

"Do you want to leave too?" Linus said blankly, making the five girls stare at him.

"That loud lady wanted you to leave with her," Riko said in a hurt tone.

"Well, at least she cared enough to visit," Renee shrugged. "More like remembered us enough," Yakumo sniffed.

Then, Linus, Riko, and Yori hugged Renee as Harima said, "We don't want any one of you leave."

"We love you. You have to stay," Yori, his sister, and friend sobbed into Renee's dress.

She smiled softly at them. "It's okay. We'll stay."

"Really?" the apprentices and Harima said happily. Yakumo rubbed against Harima and said, "Sure. We love you, too."

"We're family. And families don't leave one another behind, right?" Linus said happily.

"You're right, we are a family," Renee nodded.

With Wuya, she was back to her nasty self, except she was still in her powerless form. Taking a drag from the cigar she found, she chuckled, "I'll never let Sloth get Raimundo."

Acedia was sitting under the desk as he coughed and wheeze when the smoke got to him.

* * *

Later, Wuya was still smoking heavily on the cigar while Renee was trying to get Duckula to start up by poking the wood. But he didn't appear as Nanny and Igor looked nervous.

Harima was reading the paper and said, "The newspaper says we've won."

"Only fools believe what they read in the paper," Wuya told him, taking another drag.

"Odd, I can't get Duckula going," Renee said in worry. She turned to his workers and asked, "Do you know what's wrong?"

Wuya had sworn Igor and Nanny not to say a word as they shook their heads.

Deni turned to Wuya and snapped, "Must you keep smoking that!? It smells terrible!"

"Don't deny an old woman of her pleasures, dearie," Wuya smirked as she blew out smoke.

Renee rolled her eyes. "Well, in that case, Riko, open a window."

Riko nodded as she ran to the window. "I wouldn't do that, dear. With Duckula in no shape to protect the castle, Sloth's henchmen could get in."

"Shut it, old bag!" Riko snapped as she opened a window. Renee gasped at the realization, "Riko!"

Then, battleships started to drop bombs on the little town. Houses exploded as the castle disguised as a house shook with Renee and the gang except for Wuya, who was sitting, to stumble a bit.

Renee pulled Riko away and closed the window immediately as ships flew over their home.

Renee, her friends, and Harima went out into the courtyard to see that they were being under attack.

"Harima, get back inside. We're going to check out the shop," Renee told Harima, who looked hesitant, but nodded and went back inside.

That's when, as the girls came out of the shop, Renee was her young self again with the exception of the silver hair, and her friends were human again.

"Alright! We're-in trouble!" Katrina stopped her cheering when she pointed to Sloth's henchmen, who were Darths as they were coming closer to the five girls.

"There are bombs falling on us. Put those out instead!" Renee snapped as she and her now human friends ran back inside with the Darths crashing into the door.

Renee locked it as the girls ran away with the Darths following close behind.

As the five girls ran into the courtyard, Yakumo shouted, "Bombs!" Looking up, the girls saw a ship releasing bombs and one was coming right at them.

"Oh, this is the end!" Kat said as she covered her eyes.

Suddenly, Rai in his raven form swooped from the sky and grabbed onto the bomb that was coming right at them, he was going to stop it.

"Rai, no!!" Renee screamed as the bombs fell on the city, destroying the train, making the windows blast open, and what not.

The apprentices covered their eyes as Harima, Nanny, and Igor got ready for impact and Wuya said mildly, "How exciting."

When the bombs stopped, Renee and her crew peeked to see Rai on the bomb. He managed to stop the weapon before it destroyed his castle.

"Raimundo, you're okay!" Renee said in relief as she embraced him. "I'm sorry; I should've gotten here sooner," he said apologetically.

"Sheesh, we break our curses and you're not there to see it. Dork," Kat griped as Renee and Rai let go.

"Uh, we're still in trouble, everyone," Willow pointed to the crack where the Darths were trying to get through.

Rai got the girls safely inside and locked the door behind him so the Darths couldn't get in.

"Finally! The heck were you!?" Harima snapped until he and the apprentices gasped at the new and improved Renee and gang, with Harima blushing at Yakumo.

Rai walked to Duckula and said, "Hang in there, duck-dude." He then pulled the none-too-useful spy out and destroyed the remnants of it, reviving Duckula back to normal.

"Master!" Nanny and Igor said in relief to see their master alright.

Rai then looked at Wuya as she smoked her cigar and asked, "Tell me, was that cigar a gift from Sloth perhaps?"

Duckula spoke up, "She fed me something gross. I feel sick."

Wuya then said to Raimundo slyly, "Well, if it isn't Raimundo. I think it's time we had a long, heart-to-heart chat."

"Sorry, but I'm in a rush. You see there's a war going on," Rai told her as she put out the cigar in his hand, which didn't hurt him as it was destroyed.

"How unlike you for not running away, Raimundo," Wuya said in a sing-song voice.

Rai nodded as he told Renee, "Stay here. Duckula will protect you from the henchmen. I'll guard out front."

As Rai began to leave, Renee hugged him and cried, "Don't go out there. It's too dangerous."

Rai said to her gently, "Another wave's coming. And Duckula's too weak to stop the bombs."

Renee looked at him and said, "Then we should run. Don't fight them, Rai."

He shook his head and replied, "I'm tired of running away. And I finally have something I want to protect-it's you."

"Aw!" the gang went as Renee looked at Rai. Raimundo then flew off outside.

"Stop!" she cried as she ran outside into the desolate city. She gasped when she saw him fly upwards, then sighed. When Rai wanted to do something, he was stubborn about it.

She then spotted the Darths coming out again. She glared at them, then ran back inside to figure out what to do next.

* * *

**GW:** Since this story's coming to a close, I'll finish this up, then work on 'TP' and 'FOD,' and after those two are complete, I'll work on my next 3-4 stories. Read, review, and suggest 'til next time.


	11. Collapse

**GW: **Here's the next chapter of the story, which is coming to an end. Enjoy!

* * *

**Collapse**

Raimundo was in his hawk form as he flew towards the battleships, ready to fight them.

Back at the shop, the Darths were trying to get in as Renee held the door shut. She then turned the knob to green and instantly, they were transported to the Wastes again.

Walking outside, Renee saw that it was raining heavily as she walked to the edge and saw the destruction going on.

"That's where we were," Renee said. She then saw a battleship and said, "Rai's in trouble."

Then the ship burst into flames as Renee gasped when she saw Raimundo in a horrifying demon form as the ship went down, thanks to him destroying it.

"Rai, look out!" she cried in vain as the plane went down.

Yakumo, Katrina, Deni, and Willow appeared as Kat said, "Renee, what's happening?"

"Turniphead!" Willow said happily as the scarecrow bounced along.

Renee then ran inside as she said, "I have an idea."

"That's crazy!" Nanny, Igor, Harima, Renee's friends, and the apprentices shouted as Duckula said, "They're right. I can't move the portals without Rai's help!"

Renee tied a cloak around Wuya and said, "You have to try. If we don't break away, Rai will keep protecting the shop."

"I liked him more as a coward," Deni mumbled as Renee helped Wuya up and said to her, "Okay, we're leaving now."

"Are we going for a stroll?" Wuya asked weakly.

Duckula objected, "It'll make us too vulnerable!"

Renee retorted back, "We already are1 And if we don't move now, Raimundo will be in trouble."

"Renee!" Linus said as Harima informed, "They're about to bomb the shop!"

"We got to move now, dearies," Nanny said as she and Igor joined the gang as Acedia yelped nervously.

"Yori and Riko, help Wuya get outside," Renee ordered as the siblings nodded. "Wait, Nanny, you go out first," Duckula told the hen, who nodded.

"Why's that?" Yakumo asked when suddenly, Nanny crashed through the door.

Everyone looked stunned as Igor said dully, "That's' why." When Nanny was out, everyone else followed out.

Renee then grabbed a shovel and picked a nervous Duckula up in it. "Hey, what are you doing!? This is nuts. Crazy lady with a shovel!"

As Renee was about to exit, Duckula warned, "If I leave this place, the whole Castle will collapse!"

"Good," Renee nodded before turning to all of her friends. "Move way back, everyone."

"Gotcha, Renee," Yakumo nodded as the whole castle gang moved a bit away from the castle.

When only Renee and Duckula were left inside, he said to her, "Make sure I go out last, Renee."

She nodded, turned around and backed up slowly as she moved out the door.

Just as soon as Duckula was taken out, the castle started to shake. Everyone watched in awe as the castle fell to pieces.

"Wow," Kat said when the castle stopped crumbling and it laid in ruins. "There goes our home."

"I told you it would collapse!" Duckula said before he covered himself and screamed, "Rain!"

"Master, don't be a chicken, you're a vampire duck!" Igor shook his head.

Renee looked above to see a major ship flying overhead. "It's heading for town," Deni noticed.

"Everyone, stay here. Turniphead, help me find a way in," Renee ordered as Turniphead bounced behind her and the rest stayed behind.

"I'm glad I'm human again," Yakumo said as she took Harima's hand. "Now you know who I am for real."

"I could see past the curse all along," Harima smiled as she smiled back lovingly.

"We found a way in!" Renee called as she and Turniphead went inside a hole and back into what was left of the castle. Which was nothing, really.

"The roof is leaking," Duckula gulped as Renee looked around for a place to set the fire demon duck down.

She placed him down on the hearth and told him, "Hang in there for a second!"

"Wait, it's wet here!" Duckula whined as he barely avoided water droplets. Renee came back with some firewood, which was damp, as she handed it to Duckula.

"Geez, what a mess," Nanny said as the rest of the gang walked in.

"I told you we should've stayed put! Raimundo and I would've handled the whole thing," Duckula snapped as he ate some wood.

"We have to tell Rai we're not attached to the shop now," Renee said. "Move the castle and take us to Raimundo."

Duckula looked at her like she had rabbit ears. "What?"

"I know you can do it. I've never seen a fire with more spark," Renee smiled.

Duckula said in an unsure voice, "But there's no chimney here, I keep getting dripped on, and the wood's all damp!"

"Is that all he does is just complain all day?" Katrina asked the two birds, who nodded.

Renee said to the fire duck, "They say the best burns brightest when circumstances are at their worse."

"Yeah, well, they're wrong," Duckula retorted.

Wuya went to sit on a stool nearby as she said, "Ooh, what a pretty fire."

Duckula then looked defeated as he said, "Alright, but I need something of yours, Renee."

"How come?" she asked.

"I can't do it alone. How about your eyes?" he asked. She looked at him weirdly as she held out her hair. "You can have this."

Duckula took a large portion of her hair, leaving Renee's hair to her shoulders, and gulped it down hungrily.

He then blazed up into a giant fire duck as he grabbed the roof of the castle and lifted the castle up.

Everyone looked in amazement as he picked the castle up and moved it down the mountain towards the town. However, the only part that remained of the castle was it's head and legs with the towers of houses and junk fallen off it as it moved.

Turniphead bounced ahead as Linus, Riko, and Yori cheered, "Cool!" "Hooray, Ducky Boss!" Nanny cheered as Igor said proudly, "Good job, Master."

"Thanks, Duckula! You're fantastic!" Renee said happily.

"Imagine what I could've done with your eyes…or your heart!" Duckula joked. What he said made Wuya's eyes widened as she said, "That's it! You've got Rai's heart!" Wuya was right as she spotted a small lump in the middle of Duckula. This was where Raimundo's heart was all this time.

As the castle kept moving, they got closer as a circle of demons were attacking something that looked like Rai.

"I think that's Raimundo!" Harima pointed out as thunder struck in the sky.

"Hurry, Ducky Boss!" Nanny said, but gaped which got everyone's attention. It was Wuya and she was going to grab Duckula

"Wuya, no!" Renee screamed, but it was too late as the old witch pulled the shovel out and grabbed Rai's heart.

"Put it back!" Rene said as she grabbed Wuya, but it was in vain as the old witch said, "Rai's heart! It's mine!"

Then, the whole castle shook about, flinging everyone except Wuya and Renee about.

"Renee, stop the old bag!" Linus screamed as he held onto his blanket.

The castle tumbled, flinging Wuya to the other side of the room. Duckula then set her on fire as she kept holding him.

"Put it back now!" Renee yelled as she hurried to where Wuya was and the castle ran about in a frenzy.

"It burns!" Wuya screamed in pain, but still didn't let go. Renee tried grabbing it from her, but it didn't work as she got slightly singed as well.

She then spotted a bucket of water nearby. She grabbed it and doused the old witch out. But, in turn, she also reduced Duckula to a small blue flame.

"Not good," Igor said in fear as Nanny gulped. "Hoo, boy," Harima gulped as well.

The castle then split in half as Renee's half was going to fall off the cliff.

"Renee!" Linus, Riko, Yori, Kat, Willow, Yakumo, and Deni yelled as they tried to save her. Acedia then leaped into Renee's arms as the two went falling off the cliff along with half the house.

"Renee!" her friends yelled in fear. Wuya sat down and cried fat tears as she held the dimly blue heart. "Renee ruined my heart. It's ruined!" With that, the still walking part of the castle went the other way, leaving Renee and Acedia alone somewhere.

* * *

**GW: **Oh, no! Renee and Acedia's in trouble! Stupid Wuya.

**Wuya: **My heart…my heart…

**Deni: **Freak. Read, review, and suggest 'til next time.


	12. Rai's Past

**GW: **Only this and one more chapter left! I'm a roll here, everybody!

**Kat: **Big whoop. Enjoy the second to last chapter.

* * *

**Rai's Past**

Renee and Acedia were lying in a heap of junk at the bottom of the cliff they fell off of. Luckily for them, they were alive and a bit dazed, but relatively okay.

Acedia walked over to a watery-eyed Renee and said expectantly, "Goon? Goon, goon!"

"Acedia…what have I done? I poured water on Duckula," Renee cried. "What if I killed Raimundo, too? It's all my fault."

While Renee was crying, a faint blue light shot out of the ring Rai gave her. Acedia watched it and tried to get Renee's attention, but then the light beam was gone.

"Goon, goon! Zigzagoon!" Acedia barked as he hopped on Renee, trying to get her to calm down.

Renee stopped when she looked at the ring quivering on her finger. "It's moving. Is Rai still alive?" she said hopefully.

As if to answer her, the ring shot out the same blue beam as before to a pile of junk that was covering something.

Renee jumped up and ran to the piece of junk with Acedia following close behind. She moved the piece away as she looked at where the beam was pointing at.

It was a door, but inside it was nothing but utter blackness. When Renee reached out to touch it, her hand went through the blackness.

"It's a portal," Renee realized. She then walked through it, hoping to find Raimundo. Acedia growled a bit before he ran in a circle before following Renee inside.

* * *

After walking for a bit, Renee and the Pokemon finally managed to reach a dimly lit blue room. There wasn't much in it, just a table, a chair, a few papers, and a pen.

Renee looked around it a bit as she said, "This must've been his special place which he showed me."

"Goon!" Acedia barked as he nudged the door with his snout. Renee noticed him as she walked over to the door.

The duo walked outside to see that they were indeed at the mill in the field. But that's not what Renee was staring at. She was gazing at falling stars that fell from the sky and landed with a large blast of sparks.

Renee looked down to see the ring was growing smaller around her finger, though she didn't know why.

As a star landed in the field, a boy that looked like a younger Raimundo walked past, looking in amazement.

Renee's eyes enlarged a bit as she said softly, "That's Raimundo."

As Raimundo watched the stars falling with awed eyes, the ring still began to grow smaller on Renee as she ran down the steps and ran towards him.

"I understand now," she said as stars that looked like the people from when she was at Sloth's palace skipped across the lake before vanishing. "This is his childhood."

Acedia groaned softly as he struggled to keep up with the girl. Renee stopped as she watched a star land in Raimundo's hand that looked a bit greener than the others.

Renee then watched as Raimundo swallowed the star and after he swallowed it, he clutched his chest in pain. He then pulled out his heart and with that Duckula, the one who held it.

Suddenly, the ring broke as a hole appeared under Renee and Acedia and started to suck them in.

"Raimundo! Duckula!" Rai and Duckula turned to see Renee before she and the Pokemon are completely sucked in.

"It's me, Renee! I know how to help you now!" Renee cried as the two watched her leave. "Find me in the future!"

Then, she and Acedia were gone.

* * *

The duo was flying through the air. As Renee tried to think about what to do next, she saw Acedia walking past her through the air and got straight through into the darkness.

She followed the Pokemon as he kept barking at her to hurry up. Renee then began to cry a bit. She figured out that when she met Raimundo when he saved her from the soldiers it was because he had been looking for her so she could help him all this time.

At Acedia's impatient bark, she said, "I know, Acedia. I'm trying to hurry. It's just I can't stop crying."

The duo then raced out towards the portal back to where they were.

* * *

**GW: **I know it's short, but the next chapter, which is also the last, is going to be a bit longer. So, read, review, and suggest until the last chapter.


	13. The Aftermath

**GW: **Here it is, folks! The exciting conclusion to 'Rai's Moving Castle!'

**Kat, Willow, and Deni: **Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**The Aftermath**

Renee and Acedia walked out of the portal and ended up right where they started again.

Renee gasped and stopped as she saw a familiar raven monster in front of her, breathing heavily as if he was in pain.

She walked over to Raimundo and pushed back the feathers off of his face. Rai's face looked a bit pale with spots of blood here and there on his face.

"I'm sorry. Did I come too late?" she asked. "I didn't mean to make you wait this long."

She kissed him on the lips briefly and smiled, "I need you to take me to Duckula please."

Rai didn't utter a word as he let Renee and Acedia hold onto him before he took off into the sky.

* * *

Meanwhile, the remaining walking house was starting to fall apart as the castle gang was in despair. Turniphead was standing guard when he spotted Raimundo flying towards them with Renee and Acedia on board.

When the three arrivers landed, the castle gang looked up in surprise that Rai, Renee, and Acedia were okay.

"And you were worried for nothing," Kat said to the gang, who said to her, "Shut up, Kat!"

Raimundo then dissolved into his human form, not moving at all. The gang moved towards him with Linus saying in worry, "Is he dead?"

"No, Linus," Renee said as she walked to Wuya, who held Rai's heart greedily.

Renee held her hand out for the heart and asked, "Raimundo needs that back now."

Wuya turned away and said, "Don't look at me. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"She's lost it," Willow shook her head. Renee then hugged the witch, begging, "Please. I would like it back. Please."

Wuya sighed grumpily, "You really want it badly, don't you?"

"Yes," she said. Wuya pulled back and said, "Take good care of it. Here you go."

She handed Renee the blue flamed heart as Renee nodded to the witch her thanks.

The former Mew walked back to Rai's body and she knelt down beside her love.

"Duckula," she said as Duckula's face appeared in the blue flame.

"Master's alive," Igor sighed in relief as Nanny hugged him. "Oh, thank heavens!"

"Renee, I'm really tired," Duckula said groggily. "If I give Raimundo his heart back, what'll happen to you?"

"I'll be fine, I hope," the vampire duck shrugged. "I mean, you dumped water on me and both Rai and I survived."

"I'll try it then," Renee said as she felt the beating of the heart. "It's so fluttery and warm."

"It's still the heart of a child," Duckula said. Renee slowly moved Duckula to Rai's chest, ready to place the heart in. "Please, help Duckula return to his normal form, and help Raimundo get his heart back."

She then slid the heart back into Rai's chest. Then, sparks flew as Duckula flew out and grabbed his two comrades, who helped a bit. "I'm alive!" he said joyously as he flew off, shouting happily.

"Master, control yourself!" Igor said, but he laughed as well as Nanny. "Freedom!" Duckula laughed as he and the two other birds flew away.

Rai then gasped a bit. "He's okay!" Riko smiled with the rest of the group.

Then, the platform jumped a bit. The last remnant of the castle was falling apart as Yori shouted, "Crap, I forgot. The castle can't hold up without Duckula!"

"Oh, should've seen this coming," Deni deadpanned as the platform collapsed and it sledded down the cliff, the gang screaming all the way.

The gang held onto each other as they continued to slide down faster. Turniphead then jumped in front of the platform to slow it down before it reached the edge.

"Turnip!" Renee shouted as the stick Turniphead was on was wearing down.

Although it stopped, Kat screamed, "Booyah!" and made the platform slide down, catapulting the scarecrow in the air. Luckily, the platform got lodged in between a rock and the cliff, saving the gang from a painful fall.

Turniphead landed on the platform with his stick broken as Renee held him. "His pole snapped. It's alright, we'll get you a new one, okay?" she said as she gave the scarecrow a peck on the cheek. "Thank you for saving us."

Then, the scarecrow started to change. It jumped out of Renee's hands as it morphed into a boy around her age.

"Thanks, Renee," the boy bowed. "I'm the prince from the neighboring kingdom that's in the war with your kingdom at the moment, Matt Ishida. Somehow, I got that curse put on me."

"I know that curse," Willow smiled. "A kiss from your true love breaks it."

Matt nodded. "That's correct. If it weren't for Renee, I'd be a scarecrow forever."

Renee looked at Raimundo, who woke up and sat up a bit, "Huh? Oh, man, where am I? I feel like there's a weight on my chest."

Renee smiled wryly at him and said, "The heart is a heavy burden to bear." Rai smiled as he commented, "Wow, Renee; your hair is like starlight! It's beautiful."

"I like it, too!" she laughed as she hugged Raimundo. Yakumo smiled at Harima and said, "So, looks like someone found love." Harima smiled back, "I can name someone else as well." The dup then kissed as Deni, Kat, and Willow sighed, due to lack of boyfriends.

Matt also frowned a bit in disappointment to see Renee with Raimundo. Katrina said to him, "Sorry about losing your girlfriend, but you should go home now. You have to tell your king to stop this stupid war."

Matt smiled back at her, "Yah, I better go. Just remember that hearts change, so I'll be back to visit again."

Deni, Kat, and Willow smiled in a lovey-dovey way as Deni said, "We'll look forward to your return, cutie." Kat and Willow winked as well.

Wuya chuckled a bit as Acedia barked happily. He then around in a circle as he came into contact with Sloth, who was watching him via crystal ball.

"About time you contacted me," Sloth said firmly. "What on earth were you up to?"

Acedia moved aside, showing Renee, her friends, Rai, Harima, the apprentices, and Wuya saying good-bye to Matt, who waved back and left by jumping on a pole.

"Raimundo found his true love," Sloth said quietly. "You little traitor," she said to Acedia, who shrugged and ran towards his new family.

As the image disappeared, Sloth sighed, "Looks like the game is over."

She said to Malice, "Get me the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister. It's time we ended this idiotic war once and for all."

* * *

With the group, Riko pointed, "Look, its Duckula, Nanny, and Igor!" The gang smiled as Duckula, now in his normal form, was being shielded by the sun via an umbrella Nanny held over his head as the three birds approached their friends.

"You guys didn't have to come back," Raimundo said to the birds.

"I missed you guys," Duckula pouted. "And being alone in my castle with these two is boring."

"Aw, we missed you guys, too," Renee smiled at them. "So, it looks like we'll be staying for a while," Igor nodded as Nanny said happily, "Isn't that great?"

The battle was over as war ships flew away and the newly built castle flew ahead. Riko, Linus, and Yori played on one of the balconies with Acedia as Wuya watched from a lawn chair.

Katrina, Deni, and Willow were also sitting nearby, glad to be human again, as Duckula sat in a shaded spot with his two wards. Yakumo and Harima were sitting at a table holding hands together.

As for Rai and Renee they were standing on a balcony together as they kissed each other.

This was going to be a new beginning for them all as the castle flew away through the sky.

* * *

**All Cast:** Hooray fro happy endings!

**GW: **Alright! I'd like to thank Dark Magicianmon, LGDW, Warlord-Xana, Iron-Mantis, milordo-v 2.o, and others for reading, reviewing, and suggesting to this story. I will now work on finishing 'FOD' and 'TP' before beginning my future stories. Thanks for reading!


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